Aimhigher Associates
Resource Pack
2010/11
Name………………………………………
Contents
Section
Topic
Page
number
Section 1
Getting Started
1
Section 2
Section 3
Introduction
1
Target Setting and Action Planning
1
Setting Ground Rules
2
The Learner Progression Framework and Learner
Outcomes
2
Using the Activities
3
What Should I do if . . .?
3
Obtaining Materials and Resources
4
Useful Websites
5
Child Protection
6
E-mentoring and Brightlinks
6
Session Summary Sheets
7
Managing the School/ College Relationship
8
Payment
8
Evaluation
9
Self Reflection
9
Introductory and final sessions
10
Session one
10
Final session
11
Topics and Activities
12
Icebreakers
13
Aspiration Raising
1. Jellies
2. Design Your Life
3. Expectations and Lifestyle Montage
4. Anything is Possible
14
14
14
15
15
5. Secrets of Success
Self Reflection
1. What About Me?
2. Improving Social Skills
3. A Picture of Me
4. Confident People
5. Where am I?
18
18
19
19
19
21
Decision Making
1. Options and Choices
2. Making Decisions
3. Post 16 Courses
22
22
23
23
HE
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25
25
26
29
30
30
30
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34
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1. A day in the life of…
2. A-Z of HE Courses
3. HE Quiz
4. Prospectus/ Website Quiz
5. A Typical Student
6. Celebrities and HE
7. True or False
8. Where does the money go?
9. Pros and Cons of HE
10. Reasons why people go into HE
11. Applying to HE: UCAS
12. Help and Advice
Section 4
16
Jobs and Careers
1. Work Experience
2. CVs
3. Job Motivation Checklist
4. Web Resources
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40
41
43
43
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques
1. Study/ Life Balance
2. Progress with Homework
3. Learning Style
4. Time Check
5. Memory Skills
6. Revision Planning
7. Study Tips
8. Exam Anxiety Check
9. Examiners Favourite Words
10. Where have they gone wrong?
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48
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52
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Appendix
54
Session Summary Sheet
55
My Action Plan
56
Handouts
1. Jellies
2. Design Your Life worksheet
3. Improving Social Skills worksheet
4. A Picture of Me worksheet
5. Confident People worksheet
6. Where am I? worksheet
7. Celebrities in HE worksheet
8. Where does the money go? worksheet
9. Help and Advice worksheet
10. Writing a Professional CV guidance notes
11. Job Motivation Checklist
12. Progress with Homework worksheet
13. Learning Style handouts
14. Time Check worksheet
15. Revision Planning table
16. Exam Anxiety Check worksheet
17. Examiners Favourite Words exercise
18. Where have they gone wrong? exercise
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Section 1: Getting Started
Introduction
This pack has been designed to provide you with help and guidance through your
sessions. It includes ideas on activities and icebreakers you may choose to use and
instructions on evaluation.
Remember that the learners have been chosen because they have potential. We
would like you to emphasise an “I can” attitude, focussing on raising aspirations
about life chances and subsequently the benefits of Higher Education (HE) to
enhance these chances, encouraging self reflection, empowerment, full knowledge of
options, encouragement to utilise information and advice sources, the importance of
asking the right questions, taking control and making it happen. Good luck!
You are a role model for your learners and an important source of information and
experiences. It is important that you let the learners get to know your journey
through school, college and HE so that they can better understand the issues and
how these can be overcome. It is useful for them to get to know you as a person your
hometown, family, friends, jobs etc so they can identify with your journey. Maybe you
have had difficulties or barriers that you have managed to overcome? It is useful for
you to share these with your learners. We would also encourage you to do as many
of the activities or exercises alongside the learners as the learners can learn from
you. This will also help them get to know you and feel comfortable with you.
Target Setting and Action Planning
In target setting and action planning your role is to support your learners to work
towards;
• A greater understanding of who they are
• Thinking about what they want in life in greater depth
• Having the skills and confidence to utilise experts and seek out appropriate
information and advice
• Understanding the importance of developing a plan
• Having the confidence to accept responsibility for decisions.
It is relatively easy to have ideas about your future, but many of us have so many
ideas, we do not get on and do anything. Your role is to encourage your learners to
make sense of their ideas and then do something about it, to take action, even if it
eventually means dismissing the idea. Of course a learner in Year 9 requires a very
light touch, an introduction to the ideas and skills above, maybe a things to do list,
whereas a Year 12 learner needs to be thinking in much greater detail and working
towards active decision making, maybe a more formal action plan. See Section 4
Appendix for examples of action plans you can use with learners.
Encourage learners to express their feelings about the session, what they would like
to find out more about and set themselves targets or action points for the next
session. You can assist your learners during the sessions by listening to individuals
and making a mental note of research, actions etc that that individual learner could
pursue. Ideally learners should set their own targets or actions, but some may need
prompting.
It is essential to help learners review their progress, preferably at the beginning of
each session. In a group situation it can be useful for the group to share their
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experience of progress against their targets. However, you may need to be sensitive
to some learners who may not wish to share their targets.
In one to one sessions you will have more time to discuss in detail long term and
short term goals and steps or targets to achieve goals.
You will need to explain the difference between long-term and short-term goals. Help
the learners to set themselves some targets and detail of how they will achieve these
targets. Encourage learners to make these targets a challenge so they can get a
sense of progress and achievement.
Setting Ground Rules
As an Associate – and more importantly not a teacher – the main aim of your role is
to be yourself. Be relaxed in your approach to sessions, however this doesn’t mean
not setting boundaries for behaviour and language – it’s about getting the balance
right between showing you may be unhappy about something and not over-reacting.
It’s a good idea to spend a little time in the first session discussing what ground rules
the group are going to agree to. This could include things like punctuality, informing
their school contact if unable to attend sessions, using appropriate language,
respecting each others points of view and keeping the content of discussions ‘within
the group’ etc.
You may like to use the Ground Rules activity listed under the plan for the first
session – see Section 2.
The Learner Progression Framework and Learner Outcomes
The Learner Progression Framework provides a series of transitional related learner
outcomes and milestones for learners. Associates should bear in mind the learning
outcomes below for their learners according to their year group and gear sessions
toward achieving these outcomes.
Learner Outcomes Year 9 - Key Stage 3
 Learners understand progression and progression routes.
 Learners are able to make informed choices about KS4 options.
 Learners understand what HE is and the associated vocabulary.
Learner Outcomes Year 10 and 11 - Key Stage 4
 Learner knows their preferred thinking and learning style.
 Learner understands post-16 progression pathways and the range of
vocational and academic routes.
 Learner can link attainment in school subjects to opportunities in employment
and HE.
 Learner is able to prepare effectively for examinations and coursework
assessment.
 Learner is aware of the diversity of HE courses and institutions.
 Learner develops a positive learner identity.
 Learner is empowered to make decisions about the most suitable post-16
option.
Learner Outcomes Year 12 -13 Key Stage 5
 Learner is empowered to make an informed choice about HE.
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Learner is able to research provision using available sources of information.
Learner knows what financial support is available for students.
Learner understands the links between skills gained on HE courses and
increased employability.
Learner knows how to apply via UCAS and how to write an effective personal
statement.
Learner can demonstrate study skills required to undertake a Level 4 course
(e.g. research skills, independent study, critical thinking).
Learner has opportunities to experience studying at Level 4.
Using the Activities
It should be stressed that there needs to be flexibility throughout and you should
remain aware that responding to group need will always bring greater personal
growth and insight for learners than covering something because you feel you should
– you will feel when something isn’t working, be honest and open and prepared to
change tack.
Perhaps it also needs highlighting here that although there are certain areas we wish
you to cover, we hope that you and the learners will use the sessions where seems
appropriate, using the resources in this booklet or indeed devising your own. It is
advisable not to make assumptions or be presumptuous about a planned session.
Let the sessions flow in the direction needed even if that’s slightly different to what
you’d planned! In this case sometimes the journey travelled is as important as the
destination. So, when planning a session, think about:

How you can best use the activities in this handbook

Other Aimhigher (or similar) activities that your group may be experiencing at
school or college. Ask you learners what is going on. You may wish to take
some time to allow your group to reflect on and respond to these experiences.
Your school contact will be able to tell you in advance when and what
activities are taking place.

Your own judgement about the current needs of learners in your group. Be
flexible and responsive to them.
What Should I Do If . . . ?
Here are some common scenarios that may occur with your learners and
suggestions on how you may wish to resolve the issue. There is also further advice
on the skills involved for managing one-to-one and group exchanges in Section 3 of
your handbook. In addition, at your school/ college induction you may be told more
specific information about how you should respond to some of the scenarios outlined.
. . . a learner is shy and not talking at all?
Accept that not everyone talks a lot in groups and that for some shy members, their
participation comes from being present and listening. Try to encourage them to be
involved by asking them direct, non-threatening questions, but don’t force them to
speak if they’re uncomfortable. You could also try the following:
 Get the learners to work in pairs or small groups, which is less intimidating
than speaking in front of the whole group.
 Use techniques such as turn-taking, so that everyone gets a chance to speak.
 Assign them a task that does not involve speaking, such as note-taking
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. . . a learner is too talkative and dominating?
A very talkative group member can take the pressure off you if the other group
members don’t say much! If, however, they become dominating to the extent that
others are missing the chance to speak, you can use similar techniques as with a
shy person, to give the other group members a chance to say something. If doing
pair or small group work try putting the talkative learners together.
. . . a learner is not participating or bored?
You may find some learners who are particularly bored or uninterested simply will
not show up, so you can assume that the group members who are there are
probably interested. If, however, you feel anyone needs to have a more active role,
you can try to:
 Let them choose the theme for the day
 Give them a responsible task, such as reporting from group work
. . . the group starts to dwindle?
It may be that the time of meetings is no longer convenient, or the group is not
fulfilling their expectations. In this case, talk to your school/ college contact about
how the group is going – you may find you just need some new ideas to revitalise
the group or at worst it may need to merge with another group. Some groups
simply do not bond, or if you are working in a college learners may have found
other sources of support.
. . . someone wants to change groups?
Don’t take this personally. It is possible that they just want to join another
group with their friends, let your school/ college contact know and they may be able
to arrange for them to join another group.
. . . a learner comes to me with a serious personal problem?
You should always refer them to the appropriate form of support as these people
are much better equipped to deal with serious issues than you are. If learners
share personal information with you, you should respect this as being confidential.
In the unlikely event that a student confides in you about something that means
their safety, or someone else’s safety, is in danger, please contact the designated
school/college contact as soon as possible so that they can get the help they need.
. . . someone’s behaviour is offending other members?
Every member of your group should feel comfortable; nobody should experience
discrimination of any kind from other members. If a member of your group is
causing offence to others by, for example, making inappropriate jokes, it is
important that you let the person know that this is unacceptable. You can talk to
them privately, outside the group if necessary. If the problem is ongoing, speak to
your school/ college contact for support and advice.
Obtaining Materials and Resources
While you have been provided with some basic materials e.g. felt-tip pens, paper and
stickers, there maybe additional materials you require. If this is the case please
speak to the School/ FE contact well in advance and talk to them about what you
need. For some sessions you may require a larger room or computers. Again you
should speak to your School/ FE contact to organise this.
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Useful Websites
You may wish to use the following websites either with your learners or prior to a
session for research.
General information
www.connexions-direct.com
Offers information and advice relating to careers, work, learning, money, health,
housing and relationships.
Careers
www.connexions-direct.com/Jobs4u
Offers an A-Z directory of different jobs. This site allows you to explore different
career directions and look up a variety of job profiles. Suitable for age 14 – 19 years.
www.prospects.ac.uk
Prospect’s is the UK’s official graduate careers website. This website offers an A – Z
directory of different careers, information on graduate employers, advice on
interviews and helping to find the right job for you. Suitable for year 12 onwards.
www.careersadvice.direct.gov.uk
Careers advice direct offers an A – Z directory of different careers, helpful advice on
jobs and careers such as writing CVs, assessing your skills, choosing a course,
making career choices and provides top tips on finding a job. Suitable for age 18 +.
Local directories of learning and training opportunities
www.futures4meyork.com
Directory of learning and training opportunities for 14 to 19 year olds in York.
www.futures4menorthyorks.com
Directory of learning and training opportunities for 14 to 19 year olds in North
Yorkshire.
General information about HE
www.aimhigher.ac.uk
General information about HE, including pages on the different universities and
colleges; applying for a course; student finance and student life. The ‘Student
Finance’ page includes a cost of living calculator as well as information about budget
planning.
www.opendays.com
A database containing details of open days taking place at different UK universities.
Choosing/ Applying for a HE course
www.unistats.com
Contains information on the quality of teaching at all UK universities and colleges
offering HE – as judged by students in the National Student Survey. You can
compare up to five universities across a range of quality measures including course
results and destination information.
www.ucas.com
Contains detailed information about all courses and institutions, including the tuition
fees being charged at each university. Details of application procedures, including
deadlines, are also on here.
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www.ukcoursefinder.com
Includes a 15 minute questionnaire that should narrow down the main course areas
you are suited to.
Finance information
www.direct.gov.uk
The Education and Learning section of this site offers information and advice about
EMA.
www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
Contains comprehensive information on HE tuition fees and the range of support
available to HE students, including details on how to apply.
www.studentmoney.org
Offers lots of practical advice and information to help students with finances and
Higher Education funding. If you go onto the ‘Wage predictor’ page, you can choose
a career and see how lifetime earnings compare with the average graduate and nongraduate salaries.
National Diplomas
www.direct.gov.uk/diplomas
Offers information on national diplomas such as updates, facts and course guides.
Child Protection
Ensure you are familiar with the Child Protection section of the Aimhigher
Associates Handbook and the policy of the School or College you are working
in.
At your school/ college induction make sure you receive a copy of their Child
Protection Policy and details of the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO). This is
who you will need to contact if you are worried about any of the young people in your
group.
Ensure you have completed the on-line training at www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk
(as discussed at training) and either email your certificate to Chloe Thomas
(c.thomas@yorksj.ac.uk), or print and deliver a copy to her. You will not be able to
start delivering sessions until we have received a copy of your certificate.
For more information on child protection please refer to the following websites:
www.nspcc.org.uk
www.everychildmatters.gov.uk
Remember if you do have real concerns: Write an account of the conversation
immediately, including all the details given by the young person. You must sign, date
and time it. You must then immediately inform the DSO ONLY.
E-mentoring and Bright-links
You will have been shown the site and how to log on at the training. Part of your role
as an Associate is to introduce your learners to the site. This should be done early
on in the sessions. You will need to arrange in advance with your school
contact to have access to the internet. There may be other topics you wish to
cover whilst you have computer access.
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Your role is to successfully log learners onto the site, to familiarise them with its
features and encourage them to use it to speak to you using the site. You do not
need their email address, indeed there should be no exchange of email addresses
for child protection reasons. We would encourage you to talk to learners on-line if
they would like on-line contact.
Your mentee should complete an initial questionnaire on Brightlinks, preferably in the
first session. This will help you understand how they feel about their future, their
attitudes towards HE and what they want to cover in the sessions. You should
respond to their questionnaire in a friendly fashion, noting their interests, plans,
concerns etc and giving your ideas about how the sessions may develop. (This initial
questionnaire will be used to evaluate the learners’ progress).
Your mentee will then complete this questionnaire again in the final session and this
will be used by Aimhigher to gauge distance travelled by the learner and the
usefulness of the Scheme. Again you should respond to this questionnaire, noting
any concerns and sign-posting the learner and of course celebrating progress made.
Top Tips:
 Have a look around the library
 Look at the mentor training modules
 Look at the mentee training modules
 Give an enthusiastic and friendly welcome. Give a brief background about
yourself however this will vary according to the level of contact you have
already had with the learner. Try to make it as personal as possible
 Ensure you create a profile and choose an avatar for yourself this will show
your commitment and encourage the learners to do the same
 Ask lots of questions and answer your learners’ questions about you
 Listen and signpost
 Work together to solve problems
 Give constructive feedback
 Log in and post regularly.
The system will automatically log any user out of the Bright Links system after 30 minutes
if there is no activity on the site, meaning that learners can use public access computers
(e.g. school computers) without compromising their user details.
Remember you have the ability to talk to your learners individually or as a group. If you
wish to talk confidentially to one of your learners you should set up a one-to-one
conversation with that learner. If you talk to the whole group of learners, then all the
learners can see and reply to this conversation.
The regular monitoring and coordination of the site means that any inappropriate content
posted by anyone can be spotted very quickly by staff within Aimhigher or Brightside.
Tell your school/ college contact if any of your learners are not responding after two
weeks so that they can remind them to log in.
Session Summary Sheets
Session Summary Sheets are an important part of our evaluation as they provide a
week by week view of the group, session activity, materials used and your feelings
regarding the success of that session. The forms help us monitor the programme and
ensure that your group of learners are progressing and that you are receiving the
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support you need. We also hope to use the information you provide in your Session
Summary Sheets to improve the programme.
The Session Summary Sheet template (shown in the Appendix) is available to
download through the Aimhigher Associates link at www.aimhigherny.org.uk . You
will need to save this as a template and then each week enter the appropriate
information into this and send the form to Chloe Thomas at c.thomas@yorksj.ac.uk.
We advise that you complete the Session Summary Sheet as soon as possible
after the session has taken place.
Please return a completed Session Summary Sheet WITHIN A WEEK of each
session taking place. This is extremely important for monitoring and payment
purposes. If a Session Summary Sheet is not returned to Chloe within a week
of the session taking place we will not be able to pay you for this session as
we have no evidence it took place.
Managing the school / college relationship
School / colleges are very busy places and staff work under a lot of pressure. For
these reasons Associates can sometimes feel ignored or unimportant. However, as
an Associate you are at work and an Aimhigher staff member. It is very important
that you assert yourself to ensure that you have the information you require so that
you can get your job done.
Induction
Your school/ college should provide you with a comprehensive induction. Below is a
checklist to help you ensure that everything has been covered.
1. Tour of premises.
2. Introduction to key staff members
3. Overview of systems, procedures and policies, including Child Protection
4. Overview of health and safety procedures
5. Procedure for dealing with issues around behaviour (you may wish to clarify
what you should do if a learner walks out of the classroom during the session)
6. Overview of curriculum and progression for cohort
7. Provision of college prospectus
8. Calendar of key dates and aspiration raising events for cohort
9. List of key services or persons for career/progression advice, learning/study
skills support and pastoral care.
10. Establish IT provision for sessions within the school / college and ensure that
college firewalls are adjusted to grant access to the Scheme’s e-mentoring
website www.bright-links.org. Check whether the school / college will support
learners without access to internet at home to use the site while at school.
11. Introduction of Associates to learners.
12. Contact details for key members of staff (including the Designated
Safeguarding Officer) and confirmation of who you will need to speak to when
i.e. problem with learner, unable to attend session at last minute.
13. Where will the sessions take place and will refreshments be provided.
14. If there are still some dates and times of sessions waiting to be confirmed,
when will the school be able to let you know these details?
Payment
You will be paid £9.30 per hour for the work you carry out as an Associate. You will
need to complete a monthly timesheet and hand this into your line manager in order
to receive payment. You can claim for any travel time incurred getting to the school/
college and up to one hour a week for preparation for the session and completing
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your Session Summary Sheet following the session. If you are travelling to your
school/ college by public transport or taxi then we would expect you to do at least
some of your preparation while you are travelling. At any time we may request to see
your planning documents.
You can also complete an expenses form in order to claim back any travel expenses.
Ask your line manager if you are unsure how to do this.
Evaluation
Aimhigher will monitor and evaluate the scheme as a whole and the impact on the
learners and the school using the following methods:
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Each session will be monitored by data from Associates to be returned
weekly - a session summary sheet for EACH session.
Weekly collection of data from each school.
Learner focus groups towards the end of the scheme.
Associate evaluation day toward the end of the scheme.
End of year school review by teacher questionnaires and teacher interviews.
On-line learner questionnaires via Bright-links in the first and the final session
On-line Associate questionnaire via Bright-links.
A limited number of group or one-to-one observations.
On-going tracking of learners attitudes.
Self Reflection
We encourage you to think in-depth about how each session has gone so that you
can improve the experience for your learners and sharpen your own skills. The more
you look critically and in-depth, the more scope there is for you to see patterns and
solutions and the more you will gain from this experience. This record may also be
useful to refer to when you are composing a CV or completing application forms for
work or further study.
Through exploring your experiences you will become more self-aware and self-critical;
honest about yourself, open to criticism and feedback and more motivated to improve
your performance.
Below are some prompts to help you structure your thoughts about each session.
You may find it useful to ask yourself some or all of the questions listed.
Objectives What did you hope to achieve in the session?
How did it go? How did it really go? Did you achieve your objectives?
What were the problems and how did you deal with these? What did you notice?
What did you do? Did you alter what you were doing? What could you have done
differently? What might the outcomes have been?
What would you change if you were delivering this session again? What you will
do differently as a result of this experience?
Achievements? What went well? Why did it go well?
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Section 2: Introductory Sessions
The first session with your learner(s) is very important as you want to ensure things
get off to a good start.
Session One
At the first session you should make sure everyone gets to know each other including
yourself and clarify expectations about the programme. It should be quite relaxed
and informal. You may wish to try and find time to include the following:

Introductions - Introduce yourself and tell the group a little about yourself e.g.
what year you’re in, what subjects you’re studying, where you’re from etc.
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Icebreaker activity – Use an icebreaker activity to help learners get to know
each other (if they don’t already) and feel more relaxed in the group. Give the
learners name badges to help everyone remember each other’s names.
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Overview of Aimhigher Associates Scheme - Spend some time discussing
the Aimhigher Associates Scheme and how it will work. You could start by
asking the learners what they expect to get out of the programme.
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Your role - Make sure the learners understand what your role is as an
Associate. Let them know that if something arises which you can’t deal with
you will be able to refer them to a person or service with the relevant
expertise.
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Meeting arrangements - Make sure the learners are aware of how often you
will meet as a group and what other activities may be happening. Emphasise
that the sessions are for them and they are free to suggest what they would
like to talk about in them.
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Confidentiality - Explain that the discussions of each meeting will be
confidential unless you are concerned about the safety of one of the group
members, or somebody else, and then you may need to inform someone
about what you have been told.
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Ground rules - Using an A3 piece of paper, draw from the group the rules
they would wish to enforce and add yours too. Remember to consider any
school rules. Things which may crop up are listening to each other, no
bullying, confidentiality amongst members of the group, no phones, there is
no right or wrong, being supportive etc. Encourage learners to take
responsibility. Ask the learners how the group should enforce these rules.
Keep the Ground Rules close to hand throughout the sessions and return to
them when necessary to remind, enforce or add to the list.
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Exploring learners’ interests for further sessions – You may wish to visit
the Bright-links site now to get learners to complete their initial questionnaire.
This will help learners think about where they are with their thinking about
their future and attitudes towards higher education. Moving on you may then
ask the learners what, if anything, they already know about university or
college. Discuss these things, challenging responses e.g. what do you mean
by ‘you have to be very clever’? What is clever? Ensure that the learners
have correctly understood things. Then ask the learners what kind of things
they would like to know about HE and university. Discuss these things,
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answering any quick questions/ concerns you are able to and acknowledging
topics i.e. finance that will be covered later on in the programme. Keep a
running list of issues that arise that could be covered in sessions. You can
end by looking at the list and asking the learners to agree to number the
issues in priority order. Ensure that everyone has equal say and agree what
you will discuss next week.
If your first session is a one-to-one you should cover roughly the same as that
covered in the first group session, however ground rules will be less of an issue.
Discussion will work better than icebreakers in a one-to-one situation.
One-to-one Sessions
If you have already had a number of group sessions and then meet your learner for a
one-to-one session, you can use this time for whatever the learner feels is most
pressing. It is useful if they have indicated in their group sessions what they would
like to cover as this will give you some time to prepare. The purpose of these
sessions is much the same as the group sessions, but these sessions are more
personal and detailed. Your role is to encourage your learner to talk in as much detail
as they can manage about their ideas, plans and barriers and how they can
overcome them. It is useful to encourage them to take action by helping them to set
themselves targets, action points or even an action plan. Encourage them to record
these in writing and make them SMART, explaining that these are good habits.
Final session
It is very important that you arrange IT access for the final session, so that learners
can complete the final questionnaire on the Bright-links site. This is important for
Aimhigher’s evaluation of the scheme.
You may wish to plan how you will integrate this into the activities you wish to cover
in the main session.
11
Section 3: Topics and Activities
In this section there are a list of topics and activities that go with these topics. If you
are planning a session around a particular topic you may wish to consider using the
activities we have suggested. We have indicated to the right of the activity heading
which year group(s) the activity would be appropriate for and also whether it is best
delivered as part of a group or one-to-one session.
You do not have to use the activities we have suggested, you can use your own. You
are also welcome to introduce your own ideas into the sessions providing these
relate to the main themes we are trying to get across the learners (see the Learner
Outcomes for your Year Group in Section 1).
The activities in the first part of this section are ‘icebreakers’ that you may wish to use
in the initial sessions to learn names and help people feel comfortable in a group.
12
Ice Breakers
Three Facts
Ask learners to write three facts about themselves or their future plans for study or
work, one of which is a lie. All three facts should be believable but perhaps odd
enough to trick the group. Ask the group to guess which statement is the lie with
each learner taking turns, reading their list aloud and the rest of the team writing
down the one they think is a lie. Ask each learner to tell the rest of the group which
statement is the lie and see how many of the group were right.
Partner interview
Ask learners to get into pairs and give them 5 or 10 minutes to chat to each other,
again the focus could be what they know or think about further study and higher
education as well as some more fun things i.e. what they would be doing today if they
weren’t at school. Once everyone is back together, ask each learner to introduce
their partner to the rest of the group.
Desert Island
Ask the learners if they were to go onto a desert island what one thing would they
take with them? Discuss in pairs and feedback to the group.
This or that?
Get the learners to stand up in a clear space. Then ask the learners to align
themselves with a series of statements along the lines of ‘Are you more ‘this’ (e.g.
quiet) or ‘that’ (e.g. loud)? If they’re more ‘this’ they move to one side of the room and
if they’re more ‘that’ they move to the other side (or they stay in the middle if they
neither or can’t decide!).
Other examples of this or that include:
o arts/ science
o stay at home/ globe trotter
o big picture/ detail
o thinking/ doing
o listening/ speaking
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Aspiration Raising
Aspiration Raising – Activity 1
Year 9-13 / Group
Jellies
Ask learner to look very carefully at the jellies (Handout 1 in the Appendix). If they
had to choose one that represents where they are at the moment which one would
they choose? Ask them to colour this one in. Ask them to discuss in pairs and
feedback to group why they have chosen that particular jellly. Then ask learners to
look again. Which jelly would they like to be, colour in that jelly and in pairs
discuss why they have chosen that jelly? Again get them to discuss in pairs and
feedback to group.
This exercise works best with learners that are supportive of each other. You may
wish to restrict this with some groups to simply talking in pairs and not ask for
feedback to the group.
Aspiration Raising – Activity 2
Year 9-13 / Group or 1-1
Design your life
Explain that this task is about looking at aspirations, ambition and life goals and that
during the sessions they will probably think more about what they want out of life.
This activity will encourage learners to think about their ambitions and life goals.
Instructions: Ask the learners to try and imagine their life in 10 years’ time. Give
each learner a ‘Design your life’ sheet (see Appendix, Handout 2) and ask learners to
write or draw their future in as much detail as possible. Explain that there is no right
answer. You too should do this exercise.
Then ask learners to share what they have recorded with a partner. You could then
ask each learner to feedback to the group their partners’ life ideas. Again you should
feedback to the group your life design. During the feedback, try to encourage
learners to think more deeply about their future. In order to open things up and get
some discussion going, you could ask the following prompt questions to get more
depth of discussion:
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How long have you had these ideas?
Do you feel your ideas are realistic?
Could you aim higher?
Will you need qualifications?
What sort of qualifications?
Do you need to speak a foreign language?
Will you need to travel?
How much work experience will you need?
How will your career develop?
Will you stay in the same company?
Will you stay in the same area, or country?
How long will you have been doing that job?
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How did you get this job – were you promoted, or did you move from another
job?
Will you have worked for the same company or organisation or a different one?
What other jobs will you have had?
Will you have travelled?
Where will you have lived?
What qualifications will you have?
What kind of HE would you have studied?
You may wish to return to these at the end of the sessions to look at changes
in ideas.
Aspiration Raising – Activity 3
Year 9-13 / group or 1-1
Expectations and Lifestyle montage
In preparation for this activity, ask learners to source magazines, newspapers,
photographs, internet printouts which contain anything that reflects the sort of
expectations and lifestyle they want once they’ve finished education and beyond , or
source such items yourself so they have no idea of what the activity will be about,
this will depend on the group you’re working with.
In the session, ask learners to cut out items and stick down on a large sheet of paper
to make a montage of their ‘expectations and lifestyle’ for the future. Encourage
learners to think about all aspects of their future life e.g. job, money, home, family,
holidays, fashion, hobbies, interests etc. Coloured pens can also be used to highlight
specific facts or add comments in order to really bring their sheets to life and reflect
what’s important to them.
Encourage learners to enjoy the process and findings of this activity, reinforcing the
message that ‘anything is possible’ so as to prevent them from rationalizing their
thoughts.
Outcome: This activity will help learners uncover their hopes and dreams, some of
which they may not have voiced before, and begin to feel excited about future
prospects.
Possible follow-up: Encourage learners to revisit their sheets at home and add
further cuttings or words to make them really unique to them.
Aspiration Raising – Activity 4
Anything is possible!
Year 9,10,11,12,13 / Group
Ask people to imagine they are 18 years old and have just received a great set of
exam results that gives them a free choice to study for a degree or qualification at
any university or college, anywhere in the world. They also have a grant which will
pay for all their fees. No loans, no debts, no pre-conditions.
So the question is, given such a free choice, what would you study?
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Put another way, what would you love to spend a year or two or three years
becoming brilliant at?
They can even create their own degree course to fit exactly what they want to do.
The important thing is for learners to visualise and consider what they would do if
they have a free choice.
And then either during the review discussion and sharing of ideas, or in closing the
exercise, make the following point:
You have just visualised something that is hugely important to you.
You are (depending on your religious standpoint) only here on this earth once. You
will not come back again and have another go.
So what's actually stopping you from pursuing your dreams?
In almost all cases the obstacles will be self-imposed.
Of course it's not always easy to do the things we want to do. But most things are
possible - and you don't need to go to university for three years to start to become
who you want to be and to follow a new direction. It starts with a realisation that our
future is in our own hands.
We ourselves - not anyone or anything else - determine whether we follow and
achieve our passions and potential, or instead regret never trying.
(Additional stimulus and ideas can be provided for the group in the form of university
and college course listings or examples, although people should be encouraged to
imagine their own subjects. Anything is possible).
Aspiration Raising – Activity 5
Year 12-13 / Group
Secrets of success
This activity takes about three minutes in its basic form and requires just a flip chart
or equivalent.
Ask the group to take a few seconds to think (silently and individually) of someone
they know who is successful. Tell the group that they do not need to name the
person they are thinking of.
Then ask the group to think (again silently and individually):
"What is it about that person that enables them to be successful?"
After ten or twenty seconds, ask the group to call out the words they are thinking of.
Write the words on the flip chart.
When you have about eight or more words on the flip chart, ask the group for their
comments and observations about the words.
Specifically:
"What type of characteristics are (most of) these words?"
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The answer every time is that the words will mostly or entirely describe attitudinal
characteristics. Not skills, not knowledge, and not experience. The words will always
largely represent attitudinal factors.
Develop the discussion in whatever way suits your purposes and session.
With positive attitude we can do anything. Attitude also governs how we develop
skills, knowledge and experience. Attitude - in whatever way works best for each of
us, because we are all different - is the single most important factor for success in
anything.
The exercise most obviously relates to demonstrating the enabling factors for
business success, but the factors and exercise can be applied to any other success
in life too.
This basic activity is a simple quick controlled exercise led by a facilitator using a flip
chart, but the idea can be developed in many ways to add extra interest, group
interaction, and depth, for example:

For large groups split into teams of three. Ask each learner to identify three
success factors. Ask each team of three to produce a list of the top three
factors identified within their team. Display and compare the top three results
across all teams.
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Ask half of the group to think of a successful man, and the other half to think
of a successful woman. Compare the identified characteristics for men and
women. Link the findings to style and personal strengths and effectiveness,
and potentially to discussion about gender and equality.

Take similar approach to illustrate and compare characteristics of successful
people in different age brackets. This can be linked to discussions and issues
concerning ageism and age discrimination.

Take a similar approach for illustrating characteristics of successful people
according to any other relevant way of categorising people (to your situation
or session aims).
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Self Reflection
Self Reflection – Activity 1
Year 9-11/ Group
What about me?
Aim: To identify learners’ own skills and strengths. In order to make good decisions it
is important to understand yourself. Here learners can look at themselves and jobs
and see how they match up.
Task One: Get learners to pair up with someone who knows them reasonably well.
Each learner needs to identify five of their partner’s strengths.
To get them started you could suggest some of the following words and write them
up on a board or chart:
Outgoing
Practical
Scientific
Organised
Athletic
Common Sense
Musical
Good with computers
Responsible
Good with words
Caring
Patient
Artistic
Hard working
Once the lists are finished, get the pairs to swap and check whether they agree with
the way their partners see them.
If you have access to the internet, try the Connexions online quiz which will suggest a
career for your students, www.jobs4u.com
Instructions: If time is short, you could do this activity in two parts, and do the
following bit in the next session.
Task Two: Working with the whole group, choose a career (starting with something
familiar, like a doctor or teacher). Write this up on the board and ask the group to
brainstorm a list of skills and attributes needed for this job.
For example, for ‘doctor’ you could have: friendly, caring, intelligent, good at juggling
tasks, sympathetic, hard-working, calm, good at listening. Remind students that there
are not any right or wrong answers to this as it is their opinion of the skills and
personality needed for a job.
Now ask the group to vote on the three most important skills or attributes.
Now ask them to think of two occupations they would consider for themselves.
Working in pairs ask them to decide what three main skills are required for each job.
Again you could use www.jobs4U.com. Do they think their partner is suitable for this
career? How would they get into that career?
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Debrief: What did you learn about yourself from the activity? Whatever strengths you
have will be an asset to you. There is no ideal; all are suitable for higher education.
Self Reflection – Activity 2
Year 9-11/ 1-1
Improving Social Skills
In order to help identify any areas of social skills that your learner could work on with
you, ask them to fill in the tables on Handout 3 from the Appendix, answering
honestly.
Self Reflection – Activity 3
Year 9-11/ 1-1
A Picture of Me
Using Handout 4 in the Appendix, ask the learner to draw a picture of themselves
and then complete the boxes. This is a useful exercise for getting learners to open up
and look at positives and negatives. Positives should be celebrated and negatives
can be worked on.
Self Reflection – Activity 4
Year 9-11/ Group or 1-1
Confident People
Give learners a copy of Handout 5 from the Appendix. Ask them to do the following;
write a definition of the word confidence (they can use a dictionary if they like). Then
ask them to think of a person they know who seems to fit the description of someone
who has confidence. Think of something this person does that reveals his/her
confidence. Write what it is that he/she is probably thinking that helps him/her to be
confident. How does this person think when he/she is finding things difficult? Finally
ask them to write what they can learn from this person.
Confident People notes to Associate
This is a good activity to help your learners understand more about what it means to
be confident. As you know, one of the aims of the Associates Scheme is to help
learners develop their potential and this can often be achieved by positive thoughts.
Examples of some of the thoughts that a confident person has are:
“I am not afraid to make a mistake”
“I am going to be successful”
“It is good to try things even if other people think I am silly or stupid”
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Examples of some positive thoughts a confident person has when not being
successful are:
“I am still capable”
“It will be more successful next time”
It doesn’t matter that much what people think of me for not being successful”
“This is not the worst thing that can happen”
“I don’t like it, but I can stand not having been successful”
“I won’t give up”
Examples of confident behaviour:
 Continuing to work on a difficult assignment when you have trouble knowing what
to do next.
 Standing up in front of the class and talking about something.
 Raising your hand in class to answer a question.
 Working independently without asking the teacher for help.
 Speaking loudly and clearly when speaking in class.
Confidence building habits of the mind
Accepting myself – Not thinking badly of myself when bad things happen
Taking Risks – Thinking that I will try to be the best I can without needing everything
to be perfect and that I am not afraid to make mistakes.
Being Independent – Knowing that, while it is important to be liked and approved of,
I cannot please all people all the time. It is important to stand up for what I believe
even if others disagree.
I can do it – Believing that I am more likely to be successful than I am to fail.
Practical Application
 Ask learners to make a special effort to be conscious of their negative thoughts
when they try something difficult this week.
 Encourage them to use positive thoughts when they confront obstacles.
 Have your learners report and successes to you.
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Self Reflection – Activity 5
Year 9-13/ Group or 1-1
Where am I?
Worksheet on Personal Skills
This exercise asks learners to consider their personal development. Give learners a
copy each of the worksheet on Personal Skills (Handout 6 in the Appendix). Ask
them to mark on the number scale where they come for each skill and then write in
the box some steps that they can take to move up the scale.
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Decision Making
Decision Making – Activity 1 Year 9,10,11/ Group or could be adapted for 1-1
Options and Choices
This activity would work well for learners who are currently considering their Year 9
options or Post-16 choices. Ask each learner to write down on a large sheet of paper
all the subjects they are studying, spreading the headings out over the page and
leaving lots of space in between (half a sheet of flipchart paper and some coloured
pens work well with this activity).
Then ask learners to make some notes beside each one in answer to the following
questions (it helps if you go through these one by one, giving examples if necessary
to help them expand their answers, stressing that it’s good to note both negative and
positive comments):
 is the subject academic or vocational
 how is it taught … teacher talking and learners listening, teacher showing and
learners trying out, using the whiteboard, using textbooks, includes research,
doing experiments etc
 does it interest you … and why it does or does not
 do you think you’re good at it … and why you think you are or are not
 is it a subject you’d like to continue with … and why
 do you think this subject would be useful in a career one day … and why
When learners have written something beside each subject heading, ask them to
pick five subjects they like most, numbering them in order of preference one to five.
End on a group discussion about the five each has chosen, comparing and drawing
out the insights and/or conclusions they may have achieved by completing this
exercise.
Outcome: This activity enables learners to identify and appreciate their individual
likes and dislikes, as well as strengths within subject areas. It can also help them
recognize on what basis choices are being made and whether they’re influenced by
knowledge of themselves or what others have suggested or are doing.
Possible follow-up work: Encourage learners to visit www.connexions-direct.com
and/or their school’s Connexions Resource Centre and do some exploring. A good
place to start may be: ‘learning’ then going to ‘which way now’ to explore their
‘subject choices’, in particular looking up their preferred five subjects and the possible
careers these subjects may lead towards. They could also explore www.connexionsdirect.com/jobs4u which will give them more information about specific areas of work.
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Decision Making – Activity 2
Year 9-13/ Group or adapted for 1-1
Making Decisions
Aim: This activity will help learners understand how they have made decisions in the
past and what they should think about when making decisions in the future.
Instructions: Working in pairs, ask each learner to each think about a decision they
have made in the past week. The decision does not need to be about anything major,
it could be ‘which mobile phone to buy’, ‘whether to go to a party’, ‘what to have for
tea’. Ask the learners to discuss how they made their decision. If they are struggling,
prompt them by asking ‘did you consult with friends?’, ‘did you do some research on
the internet?’, ‘did you consider the consequences? Get the learners to report back to
the rest of the group on how they made their decision and discuss this and any
patterns emerging. For instance, some learners may heavily rely on input from
friends/ family while others may not be as persuaded by this.
Again working in pairs, ask the learners to come up with a list of the things they think
you need to do in order to make a good decision. The learners should then share
their ideas with the rest of the group.
Ask the learners if their ideas on how to make a good decision would be the same in
relation to a decision about FE/ HE/ their future, which ever is most appropriate.
What is it important to consider when making these decisions?
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What do they need to understand about themselves? How will they find
this information? For instance, their interests, strengths and
weaknesses, their true academic potential etc
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The world of work and what jobs exist can be a useful starting point

As well as talking to friends/ family what else should they do? For
instance, internet research, read prospectuses, look at league tables, go
to open days, speak to guidance professionals.
Decision Making – Activity 3
Year 10-11/ Group or adapted for 1-1
Post 16 Courses
Using three pieces of paper, write the three main training / study route headings on
each one – vocational, work based learning and academic. Explain that these are
their training/ study choices post 16. Place the pages around the room and get the
group to write all the post 16 options they have heard of, under the correct route
heading.
Prior to the session locate a few prospectuses for the local college or colleges. Your
school should have some. If the school has a sixth form also use their sixth form
prospectus. Using the prospectuses, ask the learners to look through what is on
offer and choose a course for themselves and to record it under the correct heading.
Ask the learners, ‘how do the routes differ?’ and ‘How do the courses differ?’
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Subjects differ but what about the content or emphasis of courses etc. Consider the
following:
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Essays and reading
Course Work
Projects
Practical exercises
portfolio
Examinations
Work Experience
Adult environment
Support
Employment prospects
Progression to further courses
Ask them to explain their choice of route and course.
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Higher Education (HE)
HE – Activity 1
Year 11-13/ Group or adapted for 1-1
A day in the life of . . .
Talk the learners through a typical day in your life as a student. Ask them to guess
things like what time you get up in the morning. As you are telling them about your
day ask them what they would be doing at that time. You could tell them about how
your day differed last year or how it will differ next year, depending on changes in the
content or demands of your course. Talk about evenings and weekends too.
It is useful to take your timetable to show your learners. They will find it interesting to
compare with their timetable.
HE – Activity 2
Year 9-13/ Group
A-Z of HE courses
As a warm up exercise, arrange the learners into two groups and against the clock
ask them to come up with a subject for every letter of the alphabet and see which
group can complete the list first – bear in mind that there is no course beginning with
X. Share what they’ve come up with as a group, identifying similarities and
differences of choice for each letter. Many learners will think that 52 courses is a lot,
however few will have any idea that there are an amazing 50,000 HE courses to
choose from.
Choice is limited by knowledge so this activity aims to help learners expand their
knowledge and therefore their choices. You will need to have access to computers
and the internet for this activity.
Ask the learners to explore the UCAS website www.ucas.com to see the full range of
courses available. Also encourage them to explore the ‘subjects within subjects’
available to them. They may not realize that within each subject there are different
courses that they could study. For instance, a history degree could be in modern
history, history of art, social history etc, or an English degree could be English
literature, English language, linguistics, creative writing etc.
Once they’ve done some research, bring them back as a group to discuss their
findings.
Outcome: These activities will help learners think more deeply about the subject
choice they are making and where this choice might lead. It is also important for
some learners to consider accreditation of their course e.g. Psychology.
Accreditation provides assurance that the programme of study is engaged in
continuous review and improvement of its quality, that it meets nationally endorsed
standards in the profession, and that it is accountable for achieving what it sets out to
do.
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Possible follow-up work: Encourage learners to do as much research as possible,
which could include:
 Visiting www.ucas.com again and continuing to explore different courses and
their links with careers.
 Finding out from their subject tutor how important their choice of university is
as far as accreditation and ranking is concerned.
 If learners know what career they’re heading towards, encourage them to find
out whether a particular course will take them to the right level of entry into
that profession.
HE – Activity 3
Year 9-13/ Group
HE quiz
Name --------------------------------------School----------------------------------------How much have you understood the language used in HE?
1. What does HE stand for?
□ HE stands for Higher Education
□ HE stands for Help for Education
□ HE stands for Higher Earnings
2. What’s an Honours Degree?
□ A certificate with a special prize
□ A qualification for a course lasting one year
□ A Higher Education qualification, which you can all do at college or university
3. What is a Foundation Degree?
□ A Foundation Degree provides entry onto a degree course
□ A Foundation Degree is a course studied after a degree
□ A Foundation Degree is a post 16 course
4. What is a graduate?
□ A graduate is someone who has started work after studying a degree
□ A graduate is someone who has got a higher education qualification such as a
degree
□ A graduate is someone who studying for a degree
5. What is a fresher?
□ A Fresher is someone in their first year at university
□ A Fresher is a piece of fruit given to new students arriving at university
□ A Fresher is someone changing courses to start a fresh course
6. What’s a campus?
□ A campus is a summer festival held at universities
□ A campus usually refers to the buildings and surroundings of a university or college
□ A campus is accommodation in tents for students unable to find student
accommodation
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7. What is a semester?
□ A semester is gown worn by students receiving their degree certificate
□ A semester is half a study year
□ A semester is a communal room in student accommodation
8. What does BA stand for?
□ A BA is a popular student drink, beer and almond
□ A BA is a student who is not looking for marriage, bachelor always
□ A BA is a qualification you can get when you complete your degree in an arts
subject, a Bachelor of Arts
10. What do you do in a gap year?
□ A gap year is a year out before higher education, often to work or travel
□ A gap year is the last year at university when you apply for jobs
□ A gap year is the year in which you complete your application form for university
11. What is UCAS?
□ UCAS is the Universal Colleges Awarding Society
□ UCAS is the United Colleges Accommodation Service
□ UCAS is the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
12. What is a lecture?
□ A lecture is a small group of students working together on a piece of work allocated
by a professor
□ A lecture is a teaching class led by a lecturer where you take notes and ask
questions
□ A lecture is a short exam
13. What is a seminar?
□ A seminar is a workshop led by students
□ A seminar is where a group of students meet to discuss a subject with a tutor
□ A seminar is a presentation by a lecturer
14. What is a sandwich course?
□ A sandwich course is an introductory module on a catering course
□ A sandwich course is any course that includes a year in industry or abroad
□ A sandwich course is a course in which classes are held at lunch time
15. What is a hall of residence?
□ Halls of residence are blocks of student accommodation, which either provide
meals or self-catering facilities
□ Halls of residence are corridors of offices for university tutors
□ Halls of residence is a chapel in a university
16. What does NUS stand for?
□ New Undergraduate Students
□ National Union of Students
□ News Update Seminar
17. What does DipHE stand for?
□ Diploma of Higher Education
□ A quiet time in a semester where there is a ‘dip’ in the amount of work you have to
do.
□ Diplomatic Hierarchy Education
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HE Quiz Answers
1. HE stands for Higher Education, which means courses at higher level than A
Levels, NVQ level 3, AVCE’s, Advanced Diplomas and BTEC’s. You can do Higher
Education courses at university, a Higher Education college and at many Further
Education (FE) colleges.
2. An Honours Degree is a Higher Education qualification, which you can all do at
college or university. Most Honours Degree courses such as medicine can take up to
6 years to complete. Some courses can include a year spent working in a business
or abroad. Most Honours degrees tend to be full-time, though you can study part time.
3. Foundation Degrees are a relatively new work based HE qualification. They have
been developed in partnership with employers to ensure that the skills needs are met.
They are employment-related, integrating academic and work based learning. They
can provide entry onto degree courses.
4. A graduate is someone who has got a higher education qualification such as a
degree. While studying for a degree or other higher education qualification, you’re
known as an undergraduate.
5. Students beginning their time at a university are often referred to as “Freshers”
and a Freshers’ Week may be organised to introduce them to university or college
life. This can include social events so that new students can get to know each other,
as well as getting an introduction to the library and other resources.
6. Campus usually refers to the buildings and surroundings of a university or college.
7. Some universities or colleges divide the student year into three terms, some divide
it into two Semesters. A semester is half a study year.
8. A Foundation Degree is a full or part-time qualification that’s geared towards a
specific job. Takes two years full-time or longer part-time. This could be anything
from business studies or creative arts to engineering or tourism.
9. BA is Bachelor of Arts and BSc is Bachelor of Science, these are two of the
qualifications you can get when you complete your degree.
10. Some students choose to take a year our before higher education – this is
referred to as a gap year. It can be a chance to work and make some money, an
opportunity to travel, or a way of gaining new experiences, perhaps by volunteering.
11. UCAS is pronounced Yew-Cass and stands for Universities and Colleges
Admissions Service. All students applying for full-time courses apply through UCAS.
12. A lecture is a teaching class led by a lecturer when you take notes and ask
questions.
13. A seminar is where a group of students meet to discuss a subject with a tutor.
Seminars are more interactive than a lecture and are often student-led.
14. A sandwich course is any course that includes a year in industry or abroad.
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15. Halls of residence are blocks of student accommodation, which either provide
meals or self-catering facilities. Priority for places in halls is usually given to first
year students.
16. NUS stands for the National Union of Students.
17. DipHE stands for Diploma of Higher Education – usually takes two years fulltime or three years part-time. They’re often linked to specific careers and include
work experience.
HE - Activity 4
Year 9-13/ Group
Prospectus/ Website Quiz
Aim: To help learners find out information about universities/ colleges using
prospectuses or university/ college websites as one source to find information.
Instructions: For this activity you will need a prospectus (which you should be able
to pick up from student services or admissions office) or computer for each pair. Ask
each pair to work through the following questions using the prospectus to find the
answers. After 10-15 minutes get the group to discuss their answers and ask them
what they have learnt and what they found easy/difficult.
Question 1
When are the Universities/College Open Days?
Question 2
What is the bursary level for students from household incomes of less than £25,000?
Question 3
What is the name of the current Vice-Chancellor?
Question 4
Name five types of sports available at the College/University?
Question 5
How many different departments are there in the College/University?
Question 6
What are the A level requirements to study a science at the University/College?
Question 7
How many students are there at the College/University?
Question 8
Where would you find help at university if your student loan was late?
29
HE – Activity 5
Year 9-11/ Group
A typical university student….
Begin by doing a brainstorm on the whiteboard – get learners to come up with any
words that would describe what students in higher education are like. Get them to
think about students they may have seen on TV, in films or in magazines, or get them
to think about people known to them and what they’re like.
Then individually get them to draw a ‘typical university student’ – this is meant to be a
bit of fun. Ask them to include as much detail as possible, hair, clothes, accessories
and anything that they feel is associated with them.
When complete, stick their drawings up on the whiteboard and ask learners to
comment on what they think the drawings say about HE students.
As you discuss the drawings, address any sweeping statements or preconceptions
that have been raised about wealth, status, dress code, ethnic background, gender,
‘social habits’ etc.
Outcome: This activity will help learners understand that higher education students
can come from a whole range of backgrounds.
Possible follow-up work: Encourage learners to talk to family and friends about
how they see students, and if they had been a ‘typical student’ themselves to give
reflections on this too.
HE – Activity 6
Year 9-11/ Group or adapted for 1-1
Celebrities and Higher Education
Many celebrities went to university before they were famous and some have plans to
take time off to study. It might surprise Learners to know what they studied and
whether or not it relates to what they do now. Give your group copies of the
Celebrities and Higher Education handout (Handout 7 in the Appendix) and ask them
which of these celebrities they think went to university.
When they have made a guess about each celebrity reveal the answers (on the
answer sheet, Handout 7 continued in the Appendix) about which celebrities went to
university and what they studied.
HE – Activity 7
Year 9-13/ Group
True or False?
Aim: To improve learners’ understanding of Higher Education and dispel common
misconceptions.
Instructions: Divide the learners into pairs and give them the handout below. Ask
them to write next to each statement whether it is true or false.
30
Go through the answers, asking the learners whether they thought a statement was
true or false and the reasons for this.
1. You have to do A-levels to go to university.
2. A full-time course means being at University from 9 am till 5pm five days a
week.
3. Everyone who goes to university lives away from home.
4. Many universities employ students in part-time jobs while they are studying.
5. You have to pay for your university course either before you go or while you
are studying.
6. There are no grants available anymore.
7. All Higher Education courses last for three years.
8. If you have dyslexia you can’t do a degree.
9. A personal tutor will check that you are doing your homework every week.
10. All HE teaching is done in lectures, when someone stands in front of a group
of students and talks for an hour and a half.
11. An undergraduate is someone who hasn’t got to university yet.
12. You have to be rich to go to university.
13. If you find you have chosen the wrong course you can always change to any
other subject.
14. You can take Higher Education courses in surfing, computer games, film and
knitwear.
15. Only the big exams in your final year of study count towards your degree.
Alternatively make one corner of the room true and one false and ask each question
with learners going to the corner that represents their answer. You could liven things
up by giving them 30 seconds to make a decision. Answer each question as you go
along with a learner getting a point for each correct answer. The learner with the
most points is the winner.
True or False?
Answers
1. You have to do A-levels to go to university
False There are many qualifications that allow for entry into higher education – AS
and A2 levels, Key Skills, BTEC National Diplomas, Advanced Apprenticeships,
Access courses. Some courses ask for GSCE qualifications at Grade C or above
usually in Maths and English Language but sometimes Science and Languages.
2. A full-time course means being at University from 9am till 5pm five days a
week
False Some courses have very full timetables. Practical subjects with lab work, and
Teacher Training courses tend to have the largest amount of contact (direct teaching)
time. Many other courses will expect students to do most of the work independently
in their own time. As a guide you might expect to be in university three or four days a
week.
3. Everyone who goes to university lives away from home
False Some students choose a course at a university away from their homes. It may
be that a particular course is only available at that university or that they want to get
31
to know a new city, town or part of the country. Living in halls of residence can
provide an opportunity to become immersed in student life or some students want the
added independence of living away from home while studying.
4. Many universities employ students in part-time jobs while they are studying
True Most students combine study and work in some way, either during term time, at
weekends and/or in the holidays. Universities and colleges often employ students to
work in their enquiries offices, shops or in occasional work as guides at Open Days,
etc.
5. You have to pay for your university course either before you go or while you
are studying
False Eligible fulltime undergraduate students don’t have to pay fees before they
start university or while they are studying (although they can if they want to). Eligible
students will be able to apply for a Student Loan for Fees to cover these costs.
Students only have to start repaying the loan once they have left university and are
earning over £15,000 and if they haven’t managed to pay back their loan 25 years
after they have finish their course then they will stop having to pay it back.
6. There are no grants available anymore
False The Maintenance Grant is available to students whose household income is
below £50,020 per year. There are lots of other types of grants available too such as
the Special Support Grant as well as grants for disabled students, students with
children or other dependents and students living in care. Also, there are various
scholarships and bursaries available from universities and colleges.
7. All Higher Education courses last for three years
False Many degrees last for three years but there are many others that don’t.
Foundation degrees, which tend to be work based or work related, are two year
courses. Sandwich courses tend to last 4 years and include periods working in
related industries. Foreign language courses will often include a year studying
abroad.
8. If you have dyslexia you can’t do a degree
False Dyslexia is not a reflection of a person’s intelligence or ability. Many
universities have a dedicated Dyslexia Service to provide diagnosis, support, advice
and the practical help students need to succeed.
9. A personal tutor will check that you are doing your homework every week
False Some universities, colleges, and courses allocate a personal tutor to each
student, but others offer a range of people; the lecturers for each subject, the senior
tutor responsible for the degree programme, postgraduate students. You will be
given deadlines to meet, presentations to give, reports to write which is your
responsibility and you are expected to meet those commitments in order to pass your
course.
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10. All HE teaching is done in lectures, when someone stands in front of a
group of students and talks for an hour and a half
False Mostly this isn’t true anymore. There is more emphasis on workshops,
seminars and group work, but some part of most courses will be in the form of
lectures to which you listen and take notes.
11. An undergraduate is someone who hasn’t got to university yet
False Undergraduate is the term used to describe a student who is currently studying
for their degree.
12. You have to be rich to go to university
False Remember, you don’t have to pay your fees straight up or whilst you are
studying you can apply for a full loan and wait until you are earning before you start
to pay the money back.
13. If you find you have chosen the wrong course you can always change to
any other subject
False While at most universities it is possible to change courses in the early weeks of
the first year you have to fulfil the entry requirements of the new course, and there
has to be spaces available.
14. You can take Higher Education courses in surfing, computer games, film
and knitwear
True Here are some examples of courses available;
a) University of Plymouth BSc Surf Science and Technology
b) Nottingham Trent BA Fashion Knitwear Design and Knitted Textiles
c) Plymouth College of Art and Design – FdA Games Design & Interactive Futures
d) University of Exeter – BA Film Studies
15. Only the big exams in your final year of study count towards your degree
False Most courses have assessments throughout, and many spread the marks that
contribute to your final grade across two or more years. Some courses don’t even
have exams and assessment is based on assignments.
HE – Activity 8
Year 9-13/ Group
Where does the money go?
Aim: To help the learners understand how to do basic budgeting and for them to
appreciate the difference between spending essential items and luxuries.
Instructions: In pairs provide the learners with a worksheet (Handout 8 from the
Appendix) which gives details of a student’s budget and outgoings. The learners will
need to look at how Sam will spend the remaining money for the term and work out a
budget for the week. Each pair should then present their budget to the rest of the
group and explain how and why they have spent the money in that way. This could
33
lead to an interesting discussion on which items are essential and which are luxuries.
HE – Activity 9
Year 11 -13/ Group
Pros and cons of HE
As a group, get learners to give reasons why some people might choose to go on to
higher education. Encourage them to be as imaginative as possible. Some
suggestions to help the brainstorm could be:
 to carry on studying something they enjoy and want to find out about in more
depth
 to improve their career prospects – higher education helps open up more
career opportunities and a better chance of promotion
 to get better jobs
 to earn more money
 to expand their horizons – higher education is more than just a qualification, it
opens up possibilities of travel, joining new clubs, meeting people from
different backgrounds and being more independent
 to have fun – a huge 95% of higher education students agree that going to
university is a worthwhile experience.
This list is not exhaustive and learners may well have many different suggestions.
The important thing is that there is not a right or wrong answer to this question –
people choose to go to university or college for all sorts of reasons.
When they’ve given you all the reasons why they think people go on to HE, ask each
learner to choose one reason why they would choose HE and why that choice is
important to them.
Then ask learners to think about one reason that would stop them going on to higher
education. Acknowledge their reasons and ask the group how they could overcome
that barrier using the handout provided.
Expand the discussion further by giving learners some facts about how HE is open
and accessible to everyone, these could include:
 with 50,000 different courses to choose from, there is a suitable academic or
vocational course out there for everyone
 a whole mix of people from different backgrounds choose to carry on with HE
– and 86% are from state schools
 you can study from home, or move away from home – it’s your choice
 you don’t have to do it full time, you can do it part time instead
 higher education is accessible to everyone with the necessary ability,
regardless of background, age, gender, religion or financial circumstances.
Whatever facts you choose for further discussion, make sure you’re prepared for any
leading questions that might follow.
Outcome: This activity will broaden learners’ knowledge of why people choose to go
on to higher education and enable them to think about why they might also choose it
as well as consider what might prevent them. It will also enable them to appreciate
the breadth and diversity of higher education available to young people today.
34
Possible homework: Encourage learners to talk with their family and friends about
why they’d like to go on to higher education and any concerns they’ve expressed in
response to the question ‘what would prevent me going on to higher education’.
HE – Activity Notes
This sheet covers some of the problems that your learners might come up with, and
provides some suggested answers. It is not a definitive list, and your group may well
bring up other points. For more information it is worth looking at the Aimhigher
website (www.aimhigher.ac.uk) or getting your learners to do this, to find out the
answers themselves.
“It costs too much”

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
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Universities and colleges of higher education can now charge new full-time
undergraduates fees of up to £3,290. Some may charges less than the
maximum.
Financial help is available.
Students study first and pay back when they are earning.
A loan is available to eligible, full-time students to cover the full tuition fees.
This loan will not be means tested.
Students can also apply for a student loan for living costs. This is based on
household income, where the student lives while they are studying and the
amount of any maintenance grant payment.
Students from lower income households could be eligible for a non-repayable
grant of up to £2,906 per year. This annual grant is to help with the costs of
living and studying. Students with household income of £25,000 or less can
get the full grant and students with a household income worth between
£25,000 and £50,020 will get a partial maintenance grant.
Many colleges/universities offer non-repayable bursaries. Students should
check what their preferred universities or colleges are offering.
“I’m going to end up owing loads of money”





Your fee loans and maintenance loans from the Student Loans Company will
be bundled together and do not have to be repaid until after you have left
university.
You won’t have to start paying back your loans until you’re in work and
earning over £15,000 a year, and you only pay back the money at a rate
linked to your earnings, so the less you earn the less you pay; the more you
earn, the more you pay.
Repayments are linked to how much you earn, not how much you owe.
Students pay back 9% of their earnings above £15,000 a year so someone
earning the average salary of a graduate level job of £18,000 would repay
£5.19 per week.
Also, the Government will write off all student loan balances (except arrears)
which are left unpaid 25 years after you have left your course.
You could also work in the long holidays, or do part-time work while you’re at
college or university, to top up your money and reduce your borrowing.
35
“It’s just like school”

University isn’t at all like school – thought you still have to study, you have
more control over what and how you study. You may choose to live away
from home in university halls or shared student accommodation.
“I won’t be able to find a course for me”


There are over 50,000 HE courses available, ranging from English and
chemistry to jazz and puppetry! You can study something you’re already
studying at school, or try something completely new.
You can also decide whether you want to study full-time or part-time, or even
learn in the workplace.
“It won’t help me get a job”


Having an HE qualifications can increase your chances of future employment
– graduates are less likely to be unemployed as non-graduates, and over the
course of their working life can expect to earn more than a similar person with
two or more A levels.
Many jobs require certain qualifications, and the course you take can help you
learn more about the job you want to do, for example engineering. It can also
help you to get a better salary – and on average twice as many promotions as
non-graduates.
“I don’t want to move away from home”


You don’t necessarily need to move away from home to make the most of
higher education – you could choose a course at a local college or university.
If you do have to move away to do your course, it may turn out to be a great
opportunity to make new friends and enjoy university social life.
“I’m worried about making new friends”

Higher education is a great opportunity to make new friends. You will come
into contact with lots of different people – from a mixture of backgrounds and
countries and a range of ages. And, everyone’s in the same boat as you and
wants to make new friends too.
“It’s not for people like me”



All kinds of people go on to higher education – in fact, it’s a great opportunity
to meet and mix with a range of people from different backgrounds.
86% of students come from state schools.
Higher education is open to everyone with ability, whatever their background.
36
HE – Activity 10
Year 11-13/ Group
Reasons why people go into HE
Aim: This activity will help your group of learners to understand some of the different
reasons why people go into HE.
Instructions: Ask the learners, in pairs, to come up with a list of reasons why people
decide to go into Higher Education. When discussing the reasons learners have
listed remember there is no right or wrong answer to this – people choose to go to
university or college for all sorts of reasons. The following are some of the most
common reasons given:





To carry on studying something they enjoy and want to find out about in more
depth.
To improve their career prospects – Higher Education helps open up more
career opportunities and a better chance of promotion.
To get better jobs
To expand their horizons – Higher Education is more than just a qualification,
it opens up possibilities of travel, joining new clubs, meeting people from
different backgrounds and being more independent.
To have fun – a huge 95% of Higher Education students agree that going to
university is a worthwhile experience.
Other reasons include:
 To impress people
 Because they can’t think of anything else to do
 It’s easier than going to work
 To get away from home
 To study new subjects
HE – Activity 11
Year 12-13 / Group or can be adapted for 1-1
Applying to HE: UCAS
Open the discussion by referring to their future UCAS application and what
information this will require. If you have access to computers and internet, you could
spend a moment looking on the UCAS site www.ucas.com. Highlight that one of the
most important sections that they will have to complete is their Personal Statement,
as this is the section which reflects who they are and is the section that universities
consider when going through the process of offering places.
Explain that there are five main sections they’ll need to cover in their Personal
Statement, which are (write these on the whiteboard):
 talk about themselves – their character, interests, skills & talents together
with any work experience, part time paid and/or voluntary work
 talk about what future career path they are planning to take and why, linking
this to the subjects they are studying at college and wish to read at university
 if possible show a link between these first two sections
 summarise why they want to go to university (and if appropriate a particular
type of university e.g. campus or city)
 give a conclusion as to why the university would want to give them a place.
37
As writing a Personal Statement takes time to get the wording and content to flow,
this activity aims to encourage learners to brainstorm as much information as
possible in the first instance and then tackle the writing into good paragraphs and
sections as homework.
Give each learner a large sheet of paper and ask them to write the headings above
spread out over the sheet, leaving lots of space in between, and then either working
as individuals or in pairs, ask learners to brainstorm all the points that come into their
head in relation to each heading. You may need to travel around the group and give
prompts, guidance and encouragement, especially with those students who find it
difficult to write about themselves.
Once learners have put something under each heading, open up the discussion to
the whole group asking learners to share what they’ve written and encouraging
learners to help expand each others comments; also help learners to understand
how everything they write will need to come back to reflecting what a well rounded
student they are.
Outcome: This activity will help learners clarify their thoughts as regards their
application to university.
Possible homework: Encourage learners to talk to their tutors about the content of
their Personal Statement as many tutors have resources that will help them.
HE – Activity 12
Year 9-11/ Group
Help and advice
Aim: To show learners the different sources of help and advice they can use in
Higher Education.
Instructions
Divide the learners into pairs. Give each pair a signposting question sheet and a
signposting answer sheet (Handout 9 from the Appendix) and ask them to match
each statement on the question sheet with the appropriate source of help numbered
on the answer sheet.
Go through the answers using the Signposting help and advice answers for
Associates and ask the learners what they have learnt and which sources of advice
they think will be helpful in the future.
Help and advice Answers
I want to be an occupational therapist.
www.connexions-direct.com
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
How do I find out about all the courses available to me at local colleges?
www.futures4meyork.com
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I want a job with training
www.futures4meyork.com
School /college careers advisor
www.apprenticeships.org.uk
I’m disabled, will I get help in higher education?
www.skill.org.uk (national bureau for students with disabilities)
School/ college careers advisor
How do I get career advice?
School/ college careers advisor
Form/ college tutor will probably arrange
I am dyslexic, I don’t think I could cope with Higher Education. How can I find out
more?
www.skill.org.uk (national bureau for students with disabilities)
www.direct.gov.uk
School /college careers advisor
I’d like to try for a scholarship or bursary. How do I do this?
www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
I want to know what jobs exist.
www.connexions-direct.com year 9,10,12
www.prospects.ac.uk year 12 more specialist
I find revising for exams really hard.
Form / college tutor
How can I find out about Open Days?
www.ucas.ac.uk or www.opendays.com
I have changed my mind about my year 9 options.
Form / college tutor
Where can I find out more about tuition fees?
www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
www.ucas.ac.uk
School /college careers advisor
I need help to complete my application form for college or higher education.
Form / college tutor
Everyone keeps telling me what to do. I don’t know who to listen to. Who knows
best?
Form/ college tutor
School/ college careers advisor
Where can I find all there is to know about student finance?
www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
39
Jobs and Careers
Jobs and Careers – Activity 1
Year 10/ Group or adapted for 1-1
Work experience
Open up the discussion by asking learners to give you the reasons why work
experience is important and write their answers on the whiteboard. Answers may
include:
 spend time outside the classroom
 learn about a particular job or job family (which might help them decide if
they’ll like it when they leave education)
 find out what skills employers look for
 develop key skills (which will help them to work better with other people in FE
and HE as well as any future career)
 help them have a better understanding of the world of work and an insight into
what working full time is really like
 give them practical experience and knowledge which will look good on future
CVs or job applications
Ask learners to think about a job family they are interested in (e.g. engineering or
health care) and a job title they may choose for work experience, and ask them to
write this at the top of a sheet of paper.
Then ask them to put five headings spread out over the sheet as follows:
 what skills (what will they need to be able to do)
 what qualities (what sort of personal qualities and behaviour will they need to
display)
 what interests (what interests would help someone work in this environment,
doing this job)
 what entry requirements (what qualifications and experience would be
needed to gain entry into this environment and do this job)
 what prospects exist (what progression routes are there for this type of job
within this job family)
Then ask learners to fill in as much information as they can under each heading,
however stress that it’s OK not to have very much idea at present – the second part
of the activity will fill in the gaps of knowledge.
Once some information has been put onto their sheets, bring them back as a group
to share what they have written, discussing content and asking other learners to
contribute what they know. Be prepared to lead and expand their knowledge by
asking questions throughout this activity and stress the importance of linking qualities
and interests to possible careers.
Set homework: Ask learners to go online to www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u and
find the job family and job title they chose (or nearest to) and ask them to check their
statements against what is printed and add to or amend their sheets as appropriate.
Revisit their sheets in your next session and encourage them to share what they
have each learnt about their particular job and job family.
40
Depending on the group you’re working with, it may be better to do the whole activity
in one session using computers and the website in the first instance to gain the
information they require.
Outcome: This activity will give learners the opportunity to research and gain a
better understanding of different jobs and job families and the requirements for each
as well as encourage them to think about what work experience they would really like
to undertake and what skills and experience they hope to gain.
Jobs and Careers – Activity 2
Year 11-13/ Group or adapted for 1-1
CVs
Advise learners that they are going to construct a professional CV. If computers are
available, then they can word process their CVs, however if it is not possible to
access computers, then they can hand write and word process as homework.
As a way of getting learners to think about what they can do and what they are good
at, split them into pairs and get them to ask each other questions, which could
include questions like:
 What can I do well?
 What do I enjoy doing outside of school?
 Am I quick to learn new things?
 Have I done any voluntary work or helped anyone?
 Can I speak any foreign languages?
 What qualifications have I achieved already, and expect to achieve in the
future?
 Can I show that I can work well in a team or with others in a group?
 Can I give any examples of leading others or activities?
 Can I give examples of problems I have solved, or difficult situations I have
resolved?
 Am I self-motivated and self-disciplined?
 Can I organize myself and my work?
 Do I have good ICT skills?
 Am I able to work with numbers?
 Do I communicate well?
 Do I have a particular interest in something?
The list can include any number of questions, and what you include may depend on
the group you’re working with, some groups will require more help than others. They
will not need to put all the information they discuss into their CV, the purpose of this
part of the activity is to get learners thinking and finding words to describe
themselves.
Explain that it is not just qualifications that get people the job; employers also look for
someone with good qualifications and a range of personal qualities.
Ask them to identify their ‘personal qualities’ and write their answers on the
whiteboard. They could include:
 the ability to work with others
 self-motivation
 enthusiasm
 confidence
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patience
hard working
energetic and active
adaptable
use initiative
dedicated
‘have a go’ attitude
polite
punctual
Writing the CV; first ask learners to centre at the top of their page their name,
address, telephone number and e-mail address if they have one.
Then explain that all CVs have an opening paragraph entitled ‘Personal Statement’
which gives a brief description of the skills and qualities they believe they possess
together with an indication of their educational and/or career aims.
Ask learners to work with a friend to each write a personal statement that is made up
of three or four sentences. Emphasise that they can only write what is true,
explaining that a CV is used as part of the interview process and prospective
employers can, and do, ask applicants to evidence anything written on a CV. If
learners find it difficult to write about themselves, ask them to get their partner to
input as it is often easier to say what other people are like than it is to say things
about ourselves. Depending on the group you are working with, this part of the
activity can also be opened up so the whole group can contribute to each others’
personal statements.
Once this part is written, give out the guidance notes (Handout 10 in the Appendix)
on writing CVs and ask them to work through the headings, adding bullet points
where appropriate to list particular points of interest (which they would have identified
in the opening activities). It may help learners if you work through the guidelines with
them and draw a mock CV on the whiteboard, showing where to
include bullet points and helping them understand what sort of facts they could
include under each heading.
Outcome: This activity will enable learners to grasp the sort of information that
needs to be included in a professional CV. They will also begin to understand what
their ‘unique selling points’ are.
Possible homework: Encourage learners to talk with friends, family and teachers
about their CV to see if there is anything they have missed off and be prepared to
add or amend if appropriate.
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Jobs and Careers – Activity 3
Year 12-13/ Group or adapted 1-1
Job motivation checklist
This activity aims to help learners think about what is important to them in a job and
would motivate them to get up in the morning to go to work.
Instructions
Give each of the learners a job motivation checklist grid (Handout 11 in the Appendix) and
tell them they have £100 to spend on the things that are important to them in a job. The
£100 can be spent on one motivator or spread over as many motivators as the learner
wishes
Jobs and Careers – Activity 4
Year 9-13/ Group or 1-1
Web Resources
You will need to arrange ahead of time with your school for access to
computers. It may also help to familiarise yourself with the websites below.
Using the UCAS site, explain there are 55,000 courses in HE to choose from. Get
learners to select one course they would really like to do and one they would hate to
do. You could do the exercise too. Whilst looking at the site show them around its
features.
Ask each learner to talk about their choices. You too could do this exercise and
comment on your choice of courses as part of the exercise.
Using the Connexions, Jobs4U site show them the A – Z search. Encourage them to
look at any job of interest, preferably skilled or professional level jobs. Then show the
‘related jobs’ section. Using the job families section ask them to choose a broad area
of job interest. This section shows how there are so many jobs in any particular area
of work. This shows them how if they are interested in one job or career, the site can
help generate other jobs or careers that may also interest them, which they may not
have heard of.
Again get each learner to talk to the group about what jobs they have found
interesting and how they feel about those courses and job ideas in relation to
themselves. Does the job or job family they have chosen fit in with the degree they
found interesting? You could do this too.
Explain that rather than just looking at courses, it can help to look at careers of
interest and courses that lead into that career. However, there are a number of
careers for which a degree in any subject is acceptable.
With older learners you may wish to look at www.prospects.ac.uk or use the
Graduates Yorkshire website (www.graduatesyorkshire.co.uk). Ask the learners to
find five jobs that interest them on Graduates Yorkshire site. Give them a decent
amount of time to do this (i.e. 15 – 20mins) so that they aren’t rushing. Get them to
43
make a note of what type of degree each job requires. Then using the search facility
on the UCAS website get them to make a list of three universities where they could
study each of the degrees (up to three different ones already listed). Get the learners
to talk to the group about what jobs they found interesting and the degree courses
that related to them.
44
Study Skills, Revision and Exam
Techniques
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 1
Year 12-13/ Group or adapted for 1-1
Study / Life Balance
Ask learners to fold a large sheet of paper so when opened up again it has nine
squares marked on it. Within each square, ask students to write headings which
identify the different aspects of their present life e.g.
 Studying what subjects/course ….,
 Working part time at …. as a ….,
 Interests/hobbies in ….,
 Socializing with …. doing (what) ….(this might include old friends from school,
new friends from college or groups they’ve joined),
 Doing voluntary work with ….,
 Member of …. which does (what) ….etc.
They don’t have to fill every square and you will need to be aware that for some
learners this activity may prove difficult as they may not have many squares to fill,
however it can prove a valuable activity to encourage such learners to broaden their
horizons.
When headings are in place, briefly share what they’ve put, and raise the question of
whether in reality the different sections of their lives are as equally balanced as they
look on paper (you’re looking for comments that may lead you to discuss priorities,
influences and outcomes).
Then ask learners to add some comments in each box about what skills, knowledge
or qualities they think they’ve gained from each, e.g.
 member of the basketball team = being a team player and learning to play at
a higher level, improving fitness levels, having different people to meet and
socialize with in and out of college, being part of the college community;
 working in Debenhams = gain experience and skills in retail, learning how to
deal with the general public and gain confidence with strangers, to mange the
responsibilities given to you and recognize levels of authority, meet and
spend time with a wide variety of people, earn your own money.
Lead a discussion about the skills, knowledge and qualities they think they’ve gained,
encouraging learners to input into each others sheets, and helping those learners
who find this activity difficult to see the benefits they’ve gained.
Outcome: This activity will help learners gain a picture of ‘what shape’ their lives
have formed since they started college and gives them an opportunity to consider
whether it’s well balanced and/or what they could add or amend to improve it. This
activity also acts as a good lead into writing their Personal Statement for their UCAS
application as it encourages them to think about what they have to offer university.
45
Possible homework: Encourage learners to think about the variety of things they
have in their lives and think about whether there are changes they might want to
make.
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 2
Year 9-10/ Group or 1-1
Progress with Homework
Ask learners to complete the worksheet (Handout 12 in the Appendix).
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 3
Year 9-13/ Group or 1-1
Learning style
Aim: To introduce learners to the fact that study skills are a very important part of
progression to higher education. It also introduces them to the concepts that we all
learn in difference ways, often a combination of ways, and that we can have some
control over how well we learn.
Introduce the session by asking learners some questions to get them thinking about
how they learn: How do we learn? Is it the same for everyone? Do we just learn
from experience, automatically? Do we always learn what we are taught? Encourage
learners to discuss as a group what they think.
Give out a copy of the ‘Learning Styles’ first worksheet (Handout 13 found in the
Appendix) and explain how they complete the activity. Once complete, give them the
second handout (Handout 13.1 found in the appendix) which shows what each
answer equals e.g. a V, A or K, and ask them to put at the end of each line the letter
they chose. Finally ask them to count up how many Vs, As and Ks they have which
will indicate their most preferred style of learning.
Get the learners to share their results and advise that there is no better or worse
result, it just reflects their preferences. Stress that knowing how we learn is the
foundation to good study skills because knowing how our brain works and likes to
take in information can make learning that much easier and enjoyable.
Give out the third handout (Handout 13.2 found in the Appendix) which explains what
V, A & K represent then ask students to work in pairs to look at the last handout
(Handout 13.3 found in the Appendix) which asks them to think about how they could
improve their own ways of learning.
Close the session with an open discussion about what improvements they think they
can make and in what subjects.
Outcome: This activity will help learners take responsibility for how they learn and
encourage them to play an active part in their learning.
Possible homework: Encourage learners to take this learning into their lessons
over the following week and try out some of the ideas they’ve explored. Also ask
46
them to make note of any differences this has made and whether it has affected how
they feel about certain subjects and how they engage.
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 4
Year 9-13/ Group or 1-1
Time Check
You too should do this exercise. Explain that there are only so many hours in the day,
time passes quickly and we can find that nothing has been achieved. Time is
valuable. Get the learners to work in pairs thinking about how they currently spend
their time by carving up the circle on the worksheet (Handout 14 found in the
Appendix), 'How do I spend my time’? In pairs ask them to discuss how they
currently spend their time and how they feel about it. Then ask them to carve up
another circle with how they would like to spend their time. What they would like to
change in the way they use their time. What this would help them achieve. Lastly
they should consider how they can make these changes. Discuss.
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 5
Year 9-13/ Group
Memory skills
Another memory game – to show you can predict what people remember – even
those who say they have bad memories.
Read them the following list of words and tell your learners that they will have to
remember them straight away afterwards in no particular order. They must not make
notes to remind themselves.
Before, Moving, Have, Lion, Shall, The, Of, Motor, On, Grass, One, At, Tiger, The,
Julius Caesar, Case, Three, Of, Have, Solid, Leopard, While, Nine, The, Two, Have,
Of, Jaguar, Sleep, When, Brave, Four, Boys
Give them two minutes to write down as many words as possible that they can
remember.
Now tell them you can predict what they can remember:
Chances are, they will remember most of the following groups of words because they
stand out and are images that we can clearly picture in our heads.
 Lion
 Tiger
 Julius Caesar
 Leopard
 Jaguar
Explain that they can use this to their advantage when making notes, by making sure
that you highlight key facts which stand out, either by using different colour pens,
47
highlighters or by using pictures. This is particularly useful if they are a visual learner
and recall by picturing the page in their mind.
Next ask them if they remember:
 Of
 Have
 The
Explain these words were repeated – so this shows it is easier to remember things
you have been exposed to again and again. Scanning notes over and over fixes
things in your brain, so it is important that notes aren’t just revised once, but that they
are gone over repeatedly. You can also point out that the more times your learner
goes over notes, the easier it will be to recall them, so what may originally may have
taken them an hour to revise, may only take 10mins by the time they get into the
exam…this is why preparation and planning is crucial!
Next ask them if they remember:





Before
Moving
Brave
Four
Boys
Tests have shown that we remember things at the beginning and at the end or a
group of words or a session of study. In the middle our brain drifts. This is important
to bear in mind when revising as you must ensure that you revise for an effective
period of time. Everyone has a limit as to how long they can effectively concentrate
for, but as a general rule your learner should aim to revise for chunks of 30-40mins
before taking a 5min break. However, this must be structured as it is very easy to
take a 5min break that turns into an hour!
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 6
Year 9-13/ 1-1
Revision Planning
Use the revision planner (Handout 15 in the Appendix) to help your learner plan out
their time in the build up to exams. An example study timetable is also included.
Points to remember include:




Build in breaks
Remember to include some leisure time (but this should not be predominant!)
Remember that there should be time to eat!
Try to be specific - saying not only which subject you will do at a particular time
on a particular night, but also which topics. This will help to plan and make sure
you have enough time to cover all necessary topics. It also provides goals to
work towards.
48
 Give rewards for reaching goals e.g. finishing early if you’re happy you’ve
covered everything before your planned time – but don’t cheat yourself!
 Remember that re-capping work helps with memory, so build this into the
timetable.
 Exercise is extremely good at helping to relieve stress that can build up around
exams, so try to build some regular exercise into the timetable.
 If the learner is at school, remember to write this in!
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 7
Year 11-13/ Group or adapted for 1-1
Study tips
Aim

To raise awareness of skills, and qualities necessary to produce good
quality homework and coursework.

To identify the skills and strategies needed to prepare and revise for
examinations.

To identify effective examination techniques.
Prepare four flipcharts and one marker pen for each sheet. Write the following
headings on the flipcharts:A.
B.
C.
D.
Producing good quality homework
Producing good quality work in class
Effective revision technique
Effective examination technique
How to run the activity

Divide learners into groups and assign each group to one of the four topics
above. Allow each group to spend up to ten minutes identifying the three most
important things relating to the study skills topic on their flipchart.

After eight to ten minutes each group should move on to the next topic and
repeat the task. Each group moves on until they have discussed each of the
issues and added tips and suggestions on each of the topics.

When groups return to their starting topic, allow five minutes for each group to
read through the items listed before making a brief presentation summarising
all the key points that have been made. Post each flipchart on the flipchart
stand or wall so that it can easily be seen by the whole group.
Debriefing

Ask each group to identify the three top tips and suggestions, and explain
why their choices would be the most effective things to do.
49
Further suggestions

You may wish to look at the learning styles inventory to get across the idea
that we all have preferred learning styles, but need to work on developing our
range of styles.
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 8
Year 9-13/ Group or 1-1
Exam Anxiety Check
Give learners a copy of Handout 16 (found in the Appendix). Ask them to circle the
number in the column that indicates how often they experience the signs of exam
anxiety.
When learners have completed this exercise if may be useful to use the following tips
on ways to reduce exam anxiety.
Exam Anxiety Tips
Almost everyone feels nervous before an exam. And this is good because feeling
nervous can help you to be alert and to concentrate on your work. Too much exam
anxiety, however, is bad.
Ways to Reduce Exam Anxiety and Stress
On a large piece of A3 paper, ask the group to suggest how they could reduce their
anxiety.
1. Use your positive self-talk to remind yourself that, while it would be nice to do well
on an exam, you don't absolutely need to be perfect. You can only expect
yourself to try your hardest.
2. Use your positive self-talk to remind yourself that your schoolwork and your
exams are only one part of your life. What's more important ...doing well on an
exam or being a good friend?
3. Use your positive self-talk to remind yourself that even though being successful
will involve sacrificing some of your fun time, there are many more fun and
enjoyable things that happen when you are working hard and doing well in your
schoolwork.
4. Learn to relax using deep-breathing and muscle-tensing techniques
5. Take mental time out from your work by doing leisure reading, listening to music,
watching television, scheduling social time, exercising, playing a sport, taking a
warm bath, or working on your hobby.
Steps to prepare yourself for exams
On a large piece of A3 paper, ask the group to suggest all the ways they could
prepare for an exam.
1. Early in the term, make an early start in preparing for your exams. Take good
notes on the material being covered in class and in your reading, writing
50
summaries of important ideas and information. Spend time revising these
summaries throughout the term.
2. Do not waste time re-reading material that you already know. Instead,
concentrate on "key" concepts, definitions, and vocabulary that you need to learn.
3. As you enter your exam period, organise a study timetable so that you are
spending more time revising than you are doing homework. Time your subject
study periods to coincide with your exam schedule.
4. If possible, practice writing sample answers under timed exam conditions (e.g.,
writing a 30-minute essay).
5. If possible, practice writing answers to old exam questions and show your
answers to your teacher.
6. Right before an exam, get a good night's sleep, exercise moderately, and eat
light, good meals.
7. The night before an exam, spend two to three hours reviewing all of your notes
and texts.
8. Arrive at least 5 minutes early to the exam.
Go through the following exercise with learners to reinforce what they have been told
and prepare them for exam questions and highlight the importance of reading the
question properly.
Exam Technique - Trick Questions Exercise
Try to answer the questions below as if you were in an exam.
1. Divide 30 by ½ and add 10 – what is the answer?
2. Some months have 31 days, how many have 28?
3. If there are three apples and you take two, how many do you have?
4. If it takes 2 men 2 days to dig 2 holes, how long will it take one man to dig half a
hole?
5. A farmer has 17 sheep and all but 9 die, how many are left?
6. How many 2 pence stamps are there in a dozen?
7. How many animals of each sex did Moses take on the ark?
8. Is it illegal for a man to marry his widows’ sister?
Exam Technique - Trick Questions Answers
This is a light hearted way to show mentees that answering questions can sometimes
require very careful reading. Ask your learners to answer the trick
questions…without telling them that they are trick questions. Whilst examiners won’t
deliberately try to trip students, under exam pressure it is sometimes easy to misread
a question. Have a go at the questions on the following pages yourself before
looking at the answers!
51
The correct answers are:
1. 70 – 30 divided by ½ is the equivalent of dividing by 0.5 which equals 60. Add 10
equals 70.
2. All of them. February is the only month which has only 28 days (in a non leap
year).
3. Simple…2!
4. You can’t dig half a hole! A hole is a hole.
5. 9 are left, because all but 9 die.
6. There are 12 pence stamps in a dozen, the same as a dozen of anything else.
7. None. It was Noah who took animals on the Ark.
8. He is dead, so it would be impossible.
Study Skills, Revision and Exams Technique - Activity 9
Year 9-13/ Group
Examiners Favourite Words
Ask learners to work in pairs and give each pair a copy of Handout 17 (found in the
Appendix). Ask them to look at the selection of words commonly used by examiners
in their questions and have a go at matching a definition to each one.
Explain to them the importance of knowing what they mean for being successful in
their exams.
When they have finished, go through and check their answers, ensuring they
understand the correct definitions.
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Technique – Activity 10
Year 12-13/ Group or 1-1
Where have they gone wrong?
Give learners a copy of Handout 18 (from the Appendix) and work through the
questions with them, getting the group to discuss what they think is wrong with the
answer given for each exam question.
Provided them with the correct answers as you go along, giving them the opportunity
to write down why it is wrong for future reference.
52
Where have they gone wrong?
Answers
Points you will want to make to your learners after completing the exercise are:
Question 1
This simply required a list. Whilst the person answering would still receive 3 marks
for their answer, they have wasted valuable time by trying to give extra information.
The number of marks available for a question can give a good indication of how
much to write and/or how long to spend answering it e.g. If an exams requires two
essay type questions to be answered in one hour both of which have equal marks, it
should be clear that you should spend about 30mins on each.
Question 2
The answer only provides disadvantages. Even if in this example you hated school
uniform you would have to try and give a balanced argument. Most questions like
this will have a roughly 50-50 split for arguments for and against. If you therefore
only wrote arguments against, then you could possibly be losing a lot of marks. If
you have an opinion one way or the other, use a concluding statement to put this
forward…but...this must be backed up with evidence!
Question 3
The person who has answered this question clearly has some knowledge of John F.
Kennedy, but they have just tried to write as many facts as possible without really
answering the question. You should always make sure that you are answering the
question that has been asked.
Question 4
The person has put them in order of smallest to largest rather than largest to smallest.
This is an easy mistake to make when under exam pressure, but is one that could
cost you 4 marks.
Question 5
The person has drawn a bar chart rather than a line graph. Depending on the criteria
the examiner is using for marking the exam, you may still get some marks if you
answered in this way, but then again, maybe not!
Question 6.
The person has not labelled either of the axis, has no scale and has not given the
chart a title. It is important that when drawing a chart or graph you check:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
You have given the chart/graph a title
You have labelled both axis
You have indicated a scale on both axis (if appropriate)
You have marked your plot points or bars clearly
You have drawn an appropriate line for line graphs e.g. point to point or a
line of best fit.
53
Section 4: Appendix
In this section you’ll find useful documents such as the Session Summary Sheet as
well as handouts to accompany your session where indicated.
All the documents in this section are available to download and print through the
Aimhigher Associates link at www.aimhigherny.org.uk .
54
Session Summary Sheet 2010/11
Name:
School/ College you are working with:
Date of session:
Year Group you are working with:
Was this a planned group or one-to-one session?
Full names of learner(s) that attended the
session:
1.
4.
2.
5.
3.
6.
Please list the topic(s) you covered during the session and how long you spent on
each of these:
Topic
Duration
1.
2.
3.
Please record a comment relating to how each learner is progressing:
Name of learner
Comment
Is there any additional support Aimhigher can offer you or any issues you would like
to raise?
Please return a completed Session Summary Sheet to Chloe Thomas at
c.thomas@yorksj.ac.uk WITHIN A WEEK of each session taking place. This is extremely
important for monitoring and payment purposes. If a Session Summary Sheet is not returned to
Chloe within a week of the session taking place we will not be able to pay you for this session
as have no evidence it took place.
My Action Plan
Date………
My goals!
Long-term I want to achieve….
(These are your life goals)
Goal 1
by age …….
Goal 2
by age …….
Short-term I want to achieve….
(These are goals you want to achieve in the next few months)
Goal 1
Completion date …….
Goal 2
Completion date …….
To help you achieve these goals set yourself some targets for now!
Target 1………………………………………………………………….
How will you achieve this?
56
When will you achieve this?
Target 2…………………………………………………………………
How will you achieve this?
When will you achieve this?
Target 3…………………………………………………………………
How will you achieve this?
When will you achieve this?
Who can help you achieve the above?
......……………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………….
Review – I will talk to my Associate again on…………………. to see how I
have progressed.
Learner signature …………………………………………….
Associate signature …………………………………………
57
Aspiration Raising – Activity 1
Handout 1
Jellies
58
Aspiration Raising – Activity 2
Handout 2
Design your life
Name ………………………………………………..
If you could design your life……..How would you like to see your life in 10
years? Use words or draw in the clouds below - Let your imagination run away,
write or draw in as much detail as you can, where will you be living, which country will
you be living in, who will you be living with, what will you be living in etc
My ideal life would look like this…….
My job would be………………………. and look
like this…….
How will I make this happen?
What would I need to learn, train or study, how,
what will it cost, how long will it
take……………?
59
Self Reflection – Activity 2
Handout 3
Improving Social Skills
Very
much
like me
Like me
Neutral
doubtful
Like
me
Neutral
doubtful
Not like
me
Not at
all like
me
I am good at listening to
people
I take an interest in other
people
I am helpful
I respect other people
I am tactful
I am considerate
I am polite
I am supportive
I am genuine with
people and do not lie
Communication Skills
Very
much
like me
Not like
me
Not at
all like
me
I can easily look at
people when talking to
them
I use appropriate
expressions
I know how to end a
conversation
I think before I speak
I explain myself well
I know when to stop
talking
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Self Reflection – Activity 3
Handout 4
A picture of me
I Like:
These things
make me
happy:
I am afraid of:
Draw a picture of yourself below
I dislike
These things
make me
unhappy:
I am good at:
I am not very
good at:
My hobbies
and interests
are:
My friends
are:
My family is:
In the future I
want to:
61
Self Reflection – Activity 4
Handout 5
Confident People
Definition of confidence:
A confident person I know is:
Describe something this person does confidently:
The thoughts he/she has when being confident:
What he/she thinks when not being successful immediately:
What can I learn from this person?
62
Self Reflection – Activity 5
Handout 6
Where am I? worksheet
1=Not developed at all
developed
10= Highly
Goal Setting
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
9
10
What steps can you take to move yourself further up the scale?
Thinking ahead
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Think of a deadline you have to meet, list the targets you will have to achieve
in order to reach it.
Thinking things through
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Do you rush into things or spend time thinking before acting? What sorts of
things do you need to think through?
Taking responsibility for yourself
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
In what ways do you take responsibility for yourself and your future? Write
down ideas for how you could take more responsibility.
63
Getting on with work on your own
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
9
10
What do you need to do to help improve you with this ability?
Being organised
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
What steps do you think you could take to improving your organisation skills?
Feeling confident
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Think of times when you want to be more confident. Plan how you could
achieve this in small steps. What barriers might you be able to overcome?
Being Flexible
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Can you adjust to changes and cope with problems? What would increase
your flexibility?
64
Weighing up advice
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Do you reject advice or follow it without thinking? If you need to improve your
ability to weigh up advice, plan how you will respond to particular types of
advice.
Future Plans
Look at your scores and set yourself goals that you can achieve.
It is useful to return to this exercise from time to time to review your answers and see
whether you have made progress.
65
HE – Activity 6
Handout 7
Celebrities and Higher Education
Peter Kay
Best known as:
Comedian
Ricky Wilson
Best known as: Singer from
the Kaiser Chiefs
Emma Watson
Best known as:
Playing Hermione Granger in
the Harry Potter films
Ricky Gervais
Best known as:
Comedian and for
appearing in the
Office
Sacha Baron Cohen
Best known as:
playing Ali G, Borat
and Bruno
Ruth Jones
Best known as:
Actress appearing in
Little Britain and
playing Nessa in
Gavin and Stacey
Lily Cole
Best known as:
Model and Actress
66
Celebrities and Higher Education
Answers
Celebrities who went to university
Sacha Baron
Cohen studied
History at the
University of
Cambridge.
Peter Kay attended
the University of
Salford where he
studied for a Higher
National Diploma
(HND) in Media
Performance.
Ricky Wilson studied for a
degree in English at Leeds
Metropolitan University.
Ricky Gervais
studied Philosophy at
University College
London.
Ruth Jones
studied Drama & Theatre
Studies at the University of
Warwick
Celebrities at University
Emma Watson is
studying Liberal Arts at
Brown University in
America.
Lily Cole is studying History of
Art at Cambridge University.
67
HE – Activity 8
Handout 8
Where does the money go?
Sam has just started university and is living in a shared house with three other
students. It is Sunday on the final week of the first term and Sam has £50 to last until
next Saturday, which is when Sam heads home for the Christmas break. Sam has
lectures and seminars every day except Tuesday.
How is Sam going to decide what to spend his £50 on?
Travel:
 There is a bus to the university that costs £1 return and takes 7 minutes.
Walking takes 40 minutes and cycling about 20minutes – but Sam’s bike
needs a new front light, which will cost about £10.
Hobbies:
 Sam plays hockey for the university team and is training on the university
campus on Sunday, and playing a home game on Wednesday.
Nights out:
Since this is the last week of term, there are lots of things going on. These are three
of the things Sam would most like to do:
 There is a Christmas party on Tuesday at the Student Union – tickets cost £6
and pints of beer and cider are on special offer for £1 all night.
 On Thursday, one of Sam’s favourite bands are playing in town – one of
Sam’s friends has got a spare ticket which costs £10.
 On Friday there is a hockey club party at a friend’s house. It is fancy dress
and people have to bring drinks although food is provided.
Food:
 Sam only has one large (half full) box of cornflakes, 2 cans of beans, a tin of
chopped tomatoes, a pack of spaghetti and a packet of cheese slices to last
the week.
Other costs:
 Sam needs to pay £9 towards house bills
 Sam only has enough clean clothes to last until Tuesday – the launderette on
campus costs £2, the one in town costs £4.
 Sam also wants to buy a new top for one of the nights out which costs £22.
Travel
Ticket
Beans
Pint
Washing
T-Shirt
68
HE - Activity 12
Handout 9
Help and Advice: Signposting Questions
I want to be an occupational therapist.
How do I find out about all the courses available to me at local colleges?
I want a job with training.
I’m disabled. Will I get help in HE?
How do I get career advice?
I am dyslexic, I don’t think I could cope with Higher Education. How can I find out
more?
I’d like to try for a scholarship or bursary. How do I do this?
I want to know what jobs exist.
I find revising for exams really hard.
How can I find out about Open Days?
I have changed my mind about my year 9 options.
Where can I find out more about tuition fees?
I need help to complete my application form for college or Higher Education.
Everyone keeps telling me what to do. I don’t know who to listen to. Who knows
best?
Where can I find all there is to know about student finance?
69
Signposting answer sheet for learners
1. www.prospects.ac.uk
2.
www.ucas.ac.uk
3.
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
4.
www.direct.gov.uk
5.
www.skill.org.uk (national bureau for students with disabilities)
6. A friend
7.
www.connexions-direct.com
8.
Parents
9.
Form / college tutor
10. School /college careers advisor
11. www.apprenticeships.org.uk
12. www.futures4meyork.com
13. www.graduatesyorkshire.co.uk
14. www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
70
Jobs and Careers – Activity 2
Handout 10
Writing a professional CV (Curriculum Vitae)

Make sure you write your CV on A4 size paper and make it no more than two
sides

Although you may hand write it in the first instance, the final CV should be
word processed

The layout could look something like this. Do not write CV (or Curriculum
Vitae) at the top, they will know what it is. Make careful note of which parts
are in bold and which are not:
Centre your name
Address
Telephone
E.mail
Personal Statement
This should be three or four sentences written in a block paragraph, which give a
brief description of the skills and qualities you believe you possess together with an
indication of your educational and/or career aim.
Education & Qualifications
School Name, Town
Date from & to
I am studying the following GCSEs:
List subjects
putting compulsory
by others
in two columns
subjects first, followed
Extra Curricula Activities & Responsibilities
 Add bullet points here of any activities you take part in after school e.g. sports,
dance, music, art etc.
 Also add any extra responsibilities you have in school e.g. Prefect, School
Council, Aimhigher, Class Captain etc.
 And think about any other activities you have represented your school for e.g.
Public Speaking Competition, Concerts, District Sports etc.
Achievements
 Add bullet points here of any achievements/certificates/special merits you’ve
received
 Also add any achievements from activities outside of school e.g. Scouts,
Guides, Duke of Edinburgh, dance & music grades, sports awards, leadership
awards etc.
71
Part-time Employment
Company Name, Town





Think of all the things you have to do as part of this job, and list them as …
Individual bullet points
Each bullet point should express a skill that you use, and begin with a …
‘Doing’ word e.g. serving, collecting, handling, cleaning, checking, using etc.
Don’t forget to include jobs like paper rounds and babysitting as even these
jobs use lots of skills
Work Experience
Company Name, Town


Date from & to
Follow the format above, giving details of what you did and skills you used
Voluntary Work
Organisation, Town

Date from & to
Date from & to
Make the first bullet point one that tells the reader what sort of organisation it
is (unless it is obvious by its name]
Then follow the format as above, also indicating how many times a week you
usually volunteer your time
Interests & Hobbies
With this section, you can either write in the format of the Personal Statement, which
is first person, in a block paragraph made up of two or three sentences, or …
 You can list your interests and hobbies as bullet points
Personal Details
 Would normally consist of your date of birth
Further points to think about …

Always check for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. It is good
practice to have someone else read it when you’ve finished

Use high quality, plain white paper if you can

Avoid using jargon, technical terms and abbreviations, in case the person
reading it does not understand them

REMEMBER a good CV will get you to that next stage – AN INTERVIEW!
72
Jobs and Careers – Activity 3
Handout 11
Job Motivation Checklist
Motivating Factor
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
£s
Status
My worth is recognised in my job title/ pay level/ car/ responsibilities…
Recognition
I am recognised for my skills and contribution.
Feedback
I am praised when I am doing a good job.
Skills Balance
My qualifications and skills match the job.
Challenge
I have opportunities to take on new projects and problems.
Success
I can show I am a winner.
Personal Development
I have lots of opportunities to learn and stretch myself.
Variety
My work is varied and interesting.
Responsibility
I am responsible for important things/people/projects.
Company Values
I have the same values as my employer.
Independence/Freedom
I have some control over how I spend my time at work and where I go.
Fun
I am totally absorbed in what I do.
Team membership
I enjoy being part of an active, supportive team.
Making a difference/contributing
I can see what my contribution adds to the whole process.
Helping others
My work contributes to others, or to society as a whole.
Meaning & Fulfilment
I find my work meaningful and fulfilling.
Security
I know what I will be doing and earning in a years time and this
matters to me.
Earnings now
I am relatively well paid now in comparison to my friends.
Earnings potential
My earnings may be low but will probably increase significantly in the
future.
Fringe benefits
The job has interesting perks.
73
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 2
Handout 12
Progress with Homework
1. Where do you do your homework?
Are you on your own?
Is the room quiet?
If ‘Yes’ does this help you?
In what ways?
Is the room noisy?
Does this affect your concentration?
2. When do you do your homework?
Do you do it at more or less the same
time?
Do you find it easy to settle down to
your homework?
Roughly how long do you spend on it?
3. How are you finding your
homework?
Have you had any worries about your
homework?
If ‘Yes’ what were the difficulties and
what did you do?
74
4. Do you talk to your parents about
your homework?
Do you ask for their help?
5. What have teachers said about
your homework?
6. Are there any ways you could
improve your homework routine?
75
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 3 Learning Styles
THINGS TO LEARN
CHOICE A
√ CHOICE B
Handout 13
√ CHOICE C
Cover over and picture it
Saying out aloud
Adding on fingers
Spelling a word
Write it down
Imagine what it looks like
Say each letter out
Learning a foreign word
Repeating it out loud to yourself
Learning a history fact
Watch a video
Learning how
something works
Learning a story
Take the object apart and try to put
it back together
Tell someone else the story
Looking at a picture
next to the word
Role play – act out what
happened
Listen to someone
telling you about it
Imagine the story
Learning a new sport
Watch a demonstration
Learning a new move
on a trampoline
Let the coach support you through
the movements so you feel how to
do it
Listen to someone explain how to
use it
Look at the instructions on the
packet
Sing the words
Writing it out over and over
again
Listen to a person explaining
what happened
Look at a diagram or a
picture of how it’s made up
Draw pictures/cartoons to tell
the story
Repeat back instructions to
the coach
Look at diagrams of the
move on paper
Times table
Learning how to use a
new piece of equipment
Learning how to make a
cake
Learning how to count
in a foreign language
Learning how a part of
the body works
Listen to someone telling you
Teach someone else how to
use it
Listen to someone tell you
what to do
Look at cards/posters
Make a model
√
Do it
Talk through
movements with
another person
Watch someone else
use it
Try to make it
Play French bingo
Look at a diagram
76
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 3 Learning Styles
THINGS TO LEARN
CHOICE A
√ CHOICE B
√
Handout 13.1
CHOICE C
√
Cover over and picture it
V Saying out aloud
A Adding on fingers
K
Spelling a word
Write it down
K Imagine what it looks like
V Say each letter out
A
Learning a foreign
word
Learning a history fact
Repeating it out loud to yourself
Take the object apart and try to put
it back together
Tell someone else the story
K Looking at a picture
next to the word
A Role play – act out what
happened
V Listen to someone
telling you about it
K Imagine the story
V
Learning how
something works
Learning a story
Learning a new sport
Watch a demonstration
A Writing it out over and over
again
V Listen to a person explaining
what happened
K Look at a diagram or a
picture of how it’s made up
A Draw pictures/cartoons to tell
the story
V Repeat back instructions to
the coach
K Look at diagrams of the
move on paper
A Do it
K
V Talk through
movements with
another person
K Watch someone else
use it
A Try to make it
A
V Play French bingo
K
K Look at a diagram
V
Times table
Learning a new move
on a trampoline
Watch a video
Let the coach support you through
the movements so you feel how to
do it
Learning how to use a
Listen to someone explain how to
new piece of equipment use it
Learning how to make
Look at the instructions on the
a cake
packet
Learning how to count
Sing the words
in a foreign language
Learning how a part of
Listen to someone telling you
the body works
A Teach someone else how to
use it
V Listen to someone tell you
what to do
A Look at cards/posters
A Make a model
K
A
V
V
K
77
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 3 Learning Styles
Handout 13.2
Because we take in information about the world around us through our senses, it makes ‘sense’ to pay attention to those senses that
help us learn best. Each of us learns in our own particular way, which is based on a combination of preferences. Just as we choose
to be right or left handed, we also choose the way we interpret things; the way we make sense of everyday experiences. We select
and describe these experiences using language that reflects how we see and understand the world. Three distinct learning and
communication preferences have been identified as follows:
Visual
29% of us prefer to learn by seeing. We all enjoy communication through pictures, graphs and visual means. We may at any early
age show an ability to visualize remembered scenes. Our spelling and memory strategies may utilize pictures rather than sounds.
Auditory
34% of us enjoy communicating with and learning by sound including the spoken word. Discussion, audio tape, radio
programmes, lectures, debates, orals, spoken language exercises will suit those of us with an auditory preference. It may also be
that we remember names rather than faces and we spell by recalling the patterns of sounds. When we remember our telephone
numbers we will chunk it into three and repeat and become familiar with the pattern of sounds.
Kinesthetic
37% of learners prefer to engage with the experience physically. In communication we will point with our hands and bodies and
become animated as we do so. We learn through experience and movement and feel frustrated more readily with other forms of
learning. Learners who have this as a strong preference can be very disadvantaged by schooling which often requires us to remain
static for extended periods of time
78
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 3 Learning Styles
Handout 13.3
To help me be a better VISUAL learner I can …
To help me be a better AUDITORY learner I can …
To help me be a better KINESTHETIC learner I can …
79
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 4
Handout 14
Time Check
80
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 6
Handout 15
Revision Planning
Time
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
8.009.00
9.0010.00
10.0011.00
11.0012.00
12.001.00
1.002.00
2.003.00
3.004.00
4.005.00
5.006.00
6.007.00
7.008.00
8.009.00
9.0010.00
81
Revision Planning Example
Example Study
Timetable – Week
Ending: 24/02/06
Monday
Time
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
8.00-9.00
Sleep!
Sleep!
9.00-10.00
Sleep!
Sleep!
10.0011.00
English
Macbeth
Exercise
11.0012.00
Break &
English
Macbeth
Recap
Yesterday
12.00-1.00
Lunch &
relax
Lunch &
relax
1.00-2.00
Break &
English
Poetry
Biology
Heart
2.00-3.00
Break &
English
Poetry
Break &
Biology
Heart
3.00-4.00
Break &
English
Poetry
Break &
Biology
Genetics
School
4.00-5.00
Evening Meal
Evening
Meal
Evening Meal
Evening
Meal
Evening
Meal
Evening
Meal
Evening
Meal
5.00-6.00
Biology
Photosynthesis
Recap
yesterday
Recap
yesterday
Recap
yesterday
Recap
yesterday
Exercise
Biology
Genetics
6.00-7.00
Break & Biology
Photosynthesis
Break &
Biology Cells
Break &
Biology
Cells
Break &
Chemistry
Exp2
Meet
Friends
Break &
Chemistry
7.00-8.00
Break & English
Macbeth
Exercise
Break &
Chemistry
Exp
Meet
Friends
Meet
Friends
Break &
Chemistry
8.00-9.00
Break & English
Macbeth
Biology
Cells
Exercise
Break &
Chemistry
Exp
Meet
Friends
Meet
Friends
TV
9.00-10.00
TV
TV
TV
TV
TV
TV
TV
Break &
English
Macbeth
Pt2
Break &
English
Macbeth
Pt2
82
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Techniques – Activity 8
Handout 16
Exam Anxiety Check
1) I get butterflies in my stomach
before an exam.
2) My muscles get tense during an
exam.
3) My breathing is more jerky and
shallow when I take an exam.
4) I perspire a lot when I take an
exam.
5) I lose concentration during an
exam.
6) I worry a lot before an exam.
7) My mind sometimes goes blank
during an exam.
8) I panic during an exam when I
can’t answer a question.
9) Before an exam, I spent time
thinking about my past failures.
10) I think, “It would be really be
terrible not to perform well on an
exam”.
Never
Sometimes
Often
Always
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
Total
If you scored above 20, you are likely to experience exam anxiety. Scoring 25 or
more suggests that you really need to learn how to reduce your exam anxiety level.
Your present performance on exams may well be lower than it would be if you were
more confident.
83
Study Skills, Revision and Exams Technique - Activity 9
Handout 17
Examiners Favourite Words Worksheet
1
Word
Compare &
Contrast
2
Define
3
Describe
4
Discuss/Criticise
5
Illustrate
6
Interpret
7
Justify
8
Outline
9
Relate
10
Explain
Correct Definition
Possible Definitions
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
Give the meaning
Give reasons to support an argument or action
Consider whether the things are very alike or different?
Choose the most important aspects of a topic. Ignore the minor details
Show the connections between things
Write in detail
Consider the arguments for and against
Make clear
Explain the meaning in your own words e.g. explain a graph
Give examples that make the point clear
84
Study Skills, Revision and Exam Technique – Activity 10
Handout 18
Where have they gone wrong?
1) List 3 types of renewable energy
Renewable energy is much kinder to the environment. The alternative e.g. coal, oil
and gas, cause pollution. Renewable energy sources include wind, hydropower and
solar power. (3 marks)
What is wrong with this
answer?
2) Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of school uniform
School uniform is an unfair restriction of an individual’s choice of clothing. It is often
badly designed, uncomfortable to work in and too hot in the summer but too cold in
winter. Also, certain shops have a monopoly on uniforms so they can charge high
prices.
What is wrong with this
answer?
3) Why is John F. Kennedy such an important figure in American history?
John F. Kennedy was the 35th president of the United States. He came from a family
of politicians and the Kennedy family still has influence in government today. He
became President in 1961 but his term of office was cut short when he was
assassinated on November 22 1963 in Dallas. He is important because everyone
who was alive, knows where they were when he was killed.
What is wrong with this
answer?
4) Put the following in order from largest to smallest: Kilometre, millimetre,
metre, centimetre.
Millimetre – centimetre, metre, kilometre.
What is wrong with this
answer?
85
5) Draw a line graph to show rainfall throughout the year.
A graph to show rainfall for 2006
12
10
Rainfall in cms
8
6
4
2
0
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Month of the year
What is wrong with this
answer?
6) Draw a graph to show your results. (This would be following on from a
previous question in an exam).
What is wrong with this
answer?
86